Cowen suffers snub by angry backbenchers

MANY Fianna Fáil backbenchers stayed away from their weekly parliamentary party meeting yesterday amid growing dissatisfaction with Brian Cowen’s reshuffle.

Just five turned up to support the Taoiseach during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil after what they said was “a missed opportunity” by Brian Cowen to present a new face of Fianna Fáil to the electorate.

A handful of backbenchers publicly expressed their dismay with the reshuffle while many continued to privately express their dissatisfaction with Mr Cowen’s handling of the issue.