Cowen vows to ‘tough it out’ and ignores calls for election

BRIAN COWEN told colleagues he will “tough it out” and not pass the “dirty work” onto the opposition after pressure grew within Fianna Fáil to call a general election and allow voters make up their minds on budget proposals put forward by all parties.

The Taoiseach said yesterday there was no “clear date” for the four-year plan of €15 billion in cuts which was originally scheduled for the middle of this month.

EU sources yesterday signalled there had been concern that information was being released piece by piece and expressed relief that they would see the plan “relatively soon”. But Mr Cowen said it would be published sometime in November, leaving open the possibility that it may not be published before the Donegal South West by-election scheduled for November 25.