Brian Cowen has two very serious issues to address whether or not he remains leader of Fianna Fáil and whether or not he remains as Taoiseach – and they both relate to Anglo Irish Bank, writes Vincent Browne.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin announced yesterday evening that he will vote against the Taoiseach in a motion of confidence to be put before a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on Tuesday. By Alison Spillane
Following two days of consultations with party colleagues Taoiseach Brian Cowen announced today that he will continue as Fianna Fail leader. However, Mr Cowen will table a motion of confidence in his leadership to establish "what is the settled view of the party [on the party leadership]". The vote will be cast by secret ballot at a meeting of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party on Tuesday.
Brian Cowen will make an announcement this evening about his leadership of Fianna Fail. Two leading political correspondents believe that the Taoiseach will remain as party leader, despite the protestations of several senior party members, including three Ministers.
After 1,011 days as party leader, Brian Cowen's position has become untenable. Following drip-fed revelations of a cosy occasion with senior Anglo bankers and accusations of making representations to the NTMA on behalf of Anglo, the perception is now of a Taoiseach tied to big business. By Malachy Browne
On the morning of November 22nd John Gormley announced that the Green Party believed 'it is time to fix a date for a general election in the second half of January 2011'. On the same evening the Taoiseach announced that there would be a general election early in the New Year once the budget had been enacted.
Since then there have been attempts by both parties to renege on this commitment and there are suggestions now that the election to elect a new government may be delayed until the end of March or even April.
Late Wednesday night the rumour mill went into overdrive with the news that an apparent move to oust Brian Cowen as leader of Fianna Fáil was underway at Leinster House. This afternoon the rumours were put to rest with the announcement that Mr Cowen will not resign. By Alison Spillane
Around 11pm last night rumours of a Fianna Fáil heave against Brian Cowen began to appear on social networking site Twitter. By Alison Spillane
A number of issues on what is not known of the Taoiseach's dealings with the troubled bank should be addressed, writes Vincent Browne.
So Brian Cowen did attend a golf outing in July 2008 organised by his friend Fintan Drury, which Seán FitzPatrick also attended, and "no discussions regarding Anglo Irish Bank took place".
Twitter's popularity is booming among Irish politicians, some of whom feel it is changing the rules of traditional politics. But its impact on Election 2011 will be limited. By Joe Galvin.
Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke added her name to the evergrowing list of disgruntled government backbenchers on Monday last by calling on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to name a date for the general election. "Hey Brian," said O'Rourke, "will you please name the date? We are tired waiting."