No threat to Cowen leadership – Dooley

SPECULATION that Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s leadership could come under threat turned out to be just paper talk this week and Clare Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley claimed there is actually little dissatisfaction in the parliamentary party with the Offaly man.
“There was an element of hype but it was based on very little real discontent. Some people, for their own reasons, have been against him in recent times and just two at the meeting spoke against him, Noel O’Flynn and John McGuinness,” said Deputy Dooley.
He said while Brian Cowen’s personal popularity is quite low, as is Fianna Fáíl’s standing in the polls, this is because the party has been charged with making politically unpopular but necessary decisions.
“The vast majority recognise that the situation is very difficult. We have asked the public to accept significant cuts in public spending and in income and a lot of people are suffering, so of course that affects our position. But the Taoiseach is working very hard and he hasn’t tried to give people false hope. No one else seems to be able to offer alternative policies.”
While the Taoiseach’s popularity has collapsed since he took over from Bertie Ahern, in complete contrast, Brian Lenihan has delivered hairshirt budgets but has seen his star rise since succeeding Cowen as Finance Minister.
However, Deputy Dooley said it’s difficult to account for the differing public perceptions of the Government’s most visible performers.
“Brian Lenihan’s personality is different and I think it’s very difficult to do that analysis. Brian Cowen is the leader – he would take the bulk of the public response.
“The Government has to take its fair share of the responsibility for the position we find ourselves in but you can spend time apologising and being sorry for the position we are in but it won’t change anything. What people want to see are effective solutions to the banking crisis, to creating growth and to recovery.”
He said Fianna Fáil’s public representatives would have to put the party before themselves and work for its recovery in the polls.
“The one thing that hurt me the most was seeing the party at 24%. The party is front and centre for me and I myself am very much down the line. We have to do all in our power to bring it back up and the only way of doing that is to resolve the issues. Having a dispute over who got us there will not resolve the problems. The only way we will come back is if we are seen to deal with the situation. From a personal point of view, if it was just about me, I could be jumping on populist bandwagons and letting people think I’d a magic wand.
“We have to try and take on the battle and try to resolve the issues, it’s not about electing Timmy Dooley or Tony Killeen,” he noted.