Irish PM Brian Cowen steps down as Fianna Fail leader

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

Irish PM Brian Cowen has said he is stepping down as leader of the ruling Fianna Fail party but will continue to run the government until the general election on 11 March.
...
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.
...
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said it was "simply not tenable" for Mr Cowen to remain in the post.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he would back a motion of no confidence in Mr Cowen as PM on Tuesday unless there was a dissolution of parliament. "I want them out," Mr Kenny said.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12259306

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More, from The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/22/brian-cowen-resigns-irish-prime

How Ireland's Fiánna Fail will elect its new leader – and the main contenders

A special meeting of the parliamentary party will be convened at 2pm on Wednesday at Leinster House in Dublin to elect the new leader by secret ballot.

...

Finance minister Brian Lenihan

As he tried to balance the exchequer books and pull the country out of recession, Lenihan hit the public with three brutal budgets in 18 months and unveiled a draconian 15bn euro (£12.1 billion) four-year savings plan.

...

Foreign affairs minister Micheál Martin

His profile soared in 2009 when his diplomats secured the freedom of kidnapped aid worker Sharon Cummins from a compound in the town of Kutum, north of Darfur, in Sudan. He dispatched the Government jet to fly her home.

...

Minister for tourism, culture and sport Mary Hanafin

Hanafin has always remained loyal to her party and its leader until last week when she was given three opportunities to express her confidence in Cowen and declined.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/22/fianna-fail-leadership-election-contenders

[ananda]

1. I wish we could do that here.

Considering all of Obama's bungled appointments.

[pam4water]

4. Sounds good to me!

[CountAllVotes]

2. good riddance you criminal!

Now that YOU have destroyed much of Ireland you decide to throw the towel in. Thank God for small favors!

YOU Mr. Cowen belong in a place called JAIL!!!!!

:dem: :kick: & recommend. !!

[bemildred]

3. Resign as PM, call elections now! nt

[nyy1998]

6. He's already called for elections, and his party will probably get a "shellacking" nt

[bemildred]

8. That's why it says "call elections now" instead of "call elections".

I suppose I could have said "call immediate elections" or something of that sort.

Mainly, what I really want, is that the budget implementing the bank bailout not be passed, I oppose the bank bailout.

[JaneQPublic]

5. One way or another, Eire will have a new Taoiseach by March 11

...when the general election is scheduled.

Lord knows that poor country deserves a leader who can pull the economy out of a ditch. I'm rooting for them!

[DCKit]

7. Have any of them offered to claw back the money from the bank bailouts?

That'd be a sure winner.

[molly77]

9. Ireland is in for some turmoil

It has recently come to light the Catholic church did not want the justice dept to handle pedophilia cases..wanted it handled internally by the church and got by with it for years. But when the cases were won in court...taxes paid the damages.

And of course the IMF bailout was not wanted by the Irish people. They did not want to be in the EU either and the vote had to be taken twice.

[girl gone mad]

10. Erin go Bragh.

Show us the way.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Ireland's Green Party quits government of Brian Cowen

The Republic of Ireland's Green Party is pulling out of the ruling coalition, a move expected to bring forward the general election due on 11 March.

The Greens' announcement wipes out the ruling coalition's two-seat majority and puts into question the passage of a vital finance bill.
...
The Green Party will join the opposition benches immediately.

But it said it would still support the finance bill and hoped Fianna Fail would fast-track the legislation so it could be approved speedily.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12262486

Love the commentary:

"The fact the government now resembles the armless and legless knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail will hardly endear it any further to potential global investors. Markets love certainty and all they've received from Dublin has been delay, posturing, politicking and folly. "

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. Micheal Martin to replace Brian Cowen as Fianna Fail leader

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin has been elected as the head of the Fianna Fail party, it has been announced.

He won the leadership contest handily defeating Brian Lenihan, Finance Minister, Eamon O Cuiv, Social Responsibility Minister and Mary Hanafin, Tourism Minster.
...
Now he faces a very tough task leading Fianna Fail into an election in late February where they are expected to lose heavily and be out of power for at least two elections.

He won the first count with 34 votes to his nearest rival O Cuiv’s 15, Lenihan had 14 and Hanafin 10.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Micheal-Martin-to-replace-Brian-Cowen-as-Fianna-Fail-leader-114647434.html

That was actually on Wednesday. Happening today in Irish politics: the Finance Bill, having been passed in the Dáil, is being debated in the Seanad, where it is expected to pass today: http://www.thejournal.ie/the-9-at-9-saturday-15-2011-01/

When that has happened, a new date for the election is expected - probably late February: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5i77da6Yn3dlCGa2BJuJF5h0Ed-pA?docId=5784698

[xchrom]

13. kick