Gormley bids to quell FF backbench unrest

A BID to quell growing disquiet on the Government backbenches was being launched by Green leader John Gormley as the Taoiseach faced down critics in his own party.

The Environment Minister is holding face-to-face meetings with concerned Fianna Fáil backbenchers in order to explain Green moves to reform hunting and planning laws. The move is being seen as an attempt to firm-up the coalition after some Fianna Fáil backbenchers expressed opposition to the Green agenda. A sharp drop in the opinion polls, which Foreign Minister Micheál Martin admitted would lead to a “significant hammering” for the party if repeated at an election, has further dented backbench morale following last week’s highly cautious Cabinet reshuffle.

Outspoken critic John McGuinness has pledged to raise concerns about Brian Cowen’s leadership at a meeting of the parliamentary party today. The Carlow-Kilkenny TD has demanded Mr Cowen’s resignation after accusing him of being “weak” and lacking energy and direction. Mr McGuinness’s constituency colleague Bobby Alyward has also put ministers on notice they cannot count on his vote to push through Green agenda items in the renegotiated programme for government.