ALLEGATIONS:MINISTER FOR Finance Brian Lenihan has denied he was involved in organising a coup against the leadership of Taoiseach Brian Cowen at any time in the past year.
Speaking on RTÉ radio at lunchtime yesterday, when he announced he would be backing the Taoiseach in last night’s vote of confidence, Mr Lenihan was also forced to respond to criticism from several prominent dissident TDs that he has reversed his position since last year.
The most direct charge was made by Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness who claimed Mr Lenihan encouraged dissent to Mr Cowen’s authority last year and also encouraged TDs opposed to the Taoiseach to look at numbers to launch a no-confidence motion.
Two of those TDs, Seán Power of Kildare South and Michael Kennedy of Dublin North, said they were surprised at Mr Lenihan’s endorsement of Mr Cowen yesterday, given the tenor of conversations both have had with him in the past year.
Mr Lenihan said yesterday that a leadership bid was never a reality. “I made it clear at all stages that I was very flattered at their interest in me being leader of the party . . . but made it clear that current financial matters made it impossible for me to disrupt the good working relationship.”
Mr Lenihan would not comment on the specific criticisms, but sources close to him said it was not conceivable that he would have challenged Mr Cowen’s leadership at any time in the past year.
That would have entailed him resigning as Minister for Finance during a period of unprecedented economic crisis, including engagement with the EU and IMF, and this would have led to huge instability, sources said.
A number of Fianna Fáil TDs told The Irish Times yesterday that the claims of the three TDs had damaged Mr Lenihan’s future prospects to bid for the leadership.
“It has done immense damage to him, I cannot see him standing now,” said one TD, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “What the three have alleged is that he was essentially on both sides of the fence, which is not good.”
On RTÉ's News at One, Mr Lenihan gave qualified support to Mr Cowen. "He is the best person to lead us into the next election," but he also added that the Taoiseach had displayed lapses of judgment.
Mr McGuinness later accused him of speaking to TDs so as to encourage dissent. “He did encourage us to look at the numbers [for a motion of no confidence].”
Kildare South TD Seán Power said he was “surprised and shocked” that Mr Lenihan was backing the Taoiseach. “I along with colleagues have spoken with Brian over a long period of time and the concerns we expressed were very much shared by him.”
Michael Kennedy, Dublin North, also said Mr Lenihan had led people to believe that he was in favour of a change of leadership.
On Today FM's The Last Word, Mr Kennedy said: "Any discussion I've had with Brian Lenihan, he has shared my own view that our poll ratings were very disappointing. I never asked directly 'will you challenge Brian Cowen?' but I would certainly have been of the view that Brian Lenihan would like to be the leader of Fianna Fáil."
