Lenihan: Cowen will stay as leader of FF

A Fianna Fáil Junior Minister has said he believes none of those considered frontrunners for the party leadership will actually take over from Brian Cowen.

The Taoiseach has insisted he will lead the party into the next General Election early next year.

Brian Lenihan, Micheál Martin and Mary Hanafin have all been mentioned as potential candidates to take over from him should a vacancy arise.

Minister of State Conor Lenihan thinks they could be "left high and dry".