Harney bids to draw line under party power struggle

Tánaiste Mary Harney attempted to draw a line under any tensions in her Progressive Democrats party today by insisting none of her time was taken up with fighting Michael McDowell.

Ms Harney said she had never considered resigning the party leadership during an internal power struggle with the Justice Minister last week.

The relationship between the two Cabinet members has been in the spotlight since claims last week that Mr McDowell tried to challenge Ms Harney’s position as leader of the junior coalition partner.

“None of my energy is consumed by fighting with Michael McDowell, my energy is focused solely on reforming the Department of Health and Children,” she said.

“The reason I opted in 2004 when the Taoiseach was having a reshuffle in the cabinet to move to the Department of Health and Children was to drive through reform.

“I like a challenge, I like to make things happen, I like to drive change.”

Ms Harney said the internal tensions in the party had been resolved.

“The difficulties that arose in our party, the issues around election strategy were dealt with in one evening, last Tuesday,” she told RTE Radio.

“I’m not raking over the coals, I’m looking very much to my role in government, which is focused on health reform.

“I didn’t come close to resigning.”

Mr McDowell insisted yesterday that he and Ms Harney were completely united within the PD party and in Government.

Communications Minister Noel Dempsey had suggested over the weekend that the tension between the two politicians was a distraction to their ministerial duties.

But Mr McDowell reiterated: “Both of us are completely united in where our party is going and where we are going in Government.

“There is no division. There is no agenda between us except to do our respective jobs.”

He added: “At no time have I or Mary Harney taken our eyes off the ball."