Cowen refuses to alter plan for NAMA

A DEFIANT Brian Cowen has slapped down any suggestion that the direction of the National Assets Management Agency project can be altered to appease disgruntled voices within his government.

And despite a growing band of renegade Fianna Fáil deputies abandoning the whip and the spectre of a grassroots rebellion within the Green Party, he believes he will get majority support when the legislation comes before the Dáil next month.

Speaking in Tullamore, Mr Cowen said the plan’s fundamentals – to buy €90 billion worth of distressed development loans from the banks – would stay intact.