Ireland’s Greens mull leaving government of PM Cowen

Announcing his decision to quit as party leader, Mr Cowen said the focus of the election should be policy and not personality.

In a week of political crises, Mr Cowen first survived a party leadership vote but was forced to call the election after a bungled cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Cowen faced immediate criticism for his plan to stay on as PM – the first time since 1994 a politician has been prime minister, or Taoiseach, while not leading the main party of government.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said it was “simply not tenable” for Mr Cowen to remain in the post.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that he would back the no-confidence motion in Mr Cowen as PM on Tuesday unless there was a dissolution of parliament.

However, Fine Gael’s Michael Noonan also said it would stave off the vote, and help pass a crucial finance bill, if Mr Cowen was prepared to dissolve parliament on Friday and bring the election forward.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said: “The government and Fianna Fail are in chaos. Their focus is not on the problems facing the country.”

One of Mr Cowen’s own Fianna Fail MPs, Charlie O’Connor, also opposed his move.

“I say this with the greatest of respect for Brian Cowen, but what he’s just done is pointless and counterproductive.”

Criticism of Mr Cowen has intensified this month following revelations he played golf with the former chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Sean FitzPatrick, months before the bank was nationalised to prevent it from collapse. Mr Cowen has denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Cowen has seen his ratings plummet amid Ireland’s economic crisis. The country was given a bail-out package by the European Union and International Monetary Fund last year.