Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen, the Taoiseach, Prime Minister, of Ireland has asked his members of the Dail to vote next Tuesday on a motion of no confidence in his leadership. His foreign secretary has announced he will stand against him for the leadership of Fianna Fail but not for the role of Taoiseach. The opposition are seeking a vote of no confidence in Brian Cowen as Taoiseach and there is apparently to be a general election in March anyway. Unless there is the kind of unrest in the Fianna Fail party as there was in the Labour party here against its leader prior to our last general election there seems little point in having a no confidence vote. If the Labour party had changed its leader it might have done better at the polls but a self serving no confidence vote amongst his Dail party members which Cowen is most likely to win will be seen as a stunt by the electorate and the hoped for boost for Fianna Fail from Cowen winning will fail to materialise. Anyone within Fianna Fail who is a serious contender for the leadership will do well to keep quiet for the time being. The time to stand for the leadership is after the general election has been lost. It is unlikely that the opposition call for a vote of no confidence in the Dail will succeed and, if it does, even more doubtful that it will result in an opposition win this near to the election. Despite Cowen using the bankrupt Brown argument that as he took Ireland into the economic disaster they are now in he should remain and lead them out of it as he has the expertise etc., etc., he would be better off concentrating on how to improve the lot of Ireland in the few weeks he has remaining as Taoiseach. He would at least be giving something back to Ireland. Wishful thinking I know but there is no harm in dreaming.