Coveney supporters insist he can win FG leadership battle

Defiant supporters of Housing Minister Simon Coveney have insisted he can still pull it out of the fire as Fine Gael members start casting their votes today for a new leader.

Speaking at the party’s fourth and final hustings in Cork last night, one of Coveney’s key supporters, Health Minister Simon Harris, said the Coveney campaign had come a long way in a week.

“A lot of people were trying to declare the contest over this time last week,” he said. “But Simon has connected with members. And the message is: ‘it’s game on’. We will continue campaigning until 12 noon on Friday. We believe there is quite a way to go on this yet.”