Cowen to scrap FF tent at Galway Races

The new Taoiseach has decided to scrap the controversial Fianna Fáil fundraising tent at this year's Galway Races.

Brian Cowen broke the news at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil executive in Leinster House last night.

He also directed the party's general secretary, Sean Dorgan, to begin a review of Fianna Fáil's fundraising, recruitment and organisation.

The tent at the Galway Races has been one of the party's most high-profile and controversial fundraisers, bringing in tens of thousands of euros each year for the past 15 years.

The annual gathering has attracted some of the country's richest property developers and builders, as well as considerable negative publicity surrounding Fianna Fáil's links with such people.