LEADERSHIP:THREE SENIOR Ministers have emerged as certain leadership contenders in the event of Taoiseach Brian Cowen stepping down as the leader of Fianna Fáil.
They are Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin.
Mr Martin is widely viewed within the party as the favourite for the position. TDs loyal to Mr Cowen believe he made phone calls to colleagues over the course of the weekend and “intensified his campaign yesterday after the parliamentary party meeting”.
Mr Martin also issued a statement last night welcoming the consultation process with members of the parliamentary party. “It is important that members use this opportunity to have their say on the future of the party,” he said.
TDs who are not supporters said it was a signal that he wanted leadership change now. There has been a view within Fianna Fáil that Mr Martin believes a contest should take place after the election but his potential rivals favour an earlier race.
The debate has focused on the impact on the party if Mr Cowen leads it into the election. They say big losses in Dublin and other urban areas would favour Mr Martin over other rivals, including Mr Lenihan, who would lose much of his support base. However, another source argued that Mr Lenihan had a greater chance of re-election than any of his rivals.
Ms Hanafin has also confirmed that she would be a candidate but there is uncertainty over the extent of support she could muster from parliamentary colleagues.
One TD pointed to the fact that Mr Lenihan’s prospects of succeeding Mr Cowen are more doubtful because of his health situation, as well as the view among colleagues that his reputation has fallen over his handling of the economy and the bank crisis.
