Pressure mounts as Cowen denies clinging to power

Taoiseach Brian Cowen tonight denied he was clinging to power as the Opposition directly demanded he bring forward next month’s Budget.

Under enormous pressure from within the parliament and his own party to resign, a subdued Mr Cowen dismissed calls to revise a timetable to strike a deal on the €90bn bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Europe.