LAOIS-OFFALY:MEMBERS OF Offaly Fianna Fáil "don't even want to contemplate" running a candidate in place of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, his brother, Cllr Barry Cowen, said last night.
“The view of the meeting is most definitely they would hope that the Taoiseach would run again. They realise that ultimately it’s his decision but if there was a message to be given from that meeting tonight it is obviously, one to ask him to consider running,” Cllr Cowen told reporters after a meeting of Offaly Fianna Fáil.
He would not be drawn on whether he was considering running in the general election. “We don’t even want to contemplate that at this stage,” he said. “The feeling coming out of this meeting is one seeking and asking that he consider running.
“I couldn’t say exactly but I would hope in the next couple of days anyway we have the (selection) convention fixed for next Tuesday.
“The overriding factor was that we are very gratified to the service that he has given to this organisation and to his county since 1984 since he was a young man and the least they can do is give him another few days to make up his mind. The overriding feeling of the meeting is to ask him to seriously consider running for the party,” he added.
One of Brian Cowen’s faithful followers was critical of the role of the media during the Toaiseach’s time as Taoiseach, Jody Gunning said, “the media from day one drove him into the ground.” Mr Gunning said he would encourage the Taoiseach to make up his own mind in relation to his political future.
Cllr Cowen said earlier he expected the Taoiseach to consult widely before deciding if he would contest the election in the Laois-Offaly constituency, but he understood the Fianna Fáil organisation was firmly behind his brother.
“As far as I’m concerned, and the organisation is concerned, and those I have spoken to, there is huge support and a groundswell of support for him to continue because this constituency has never seen his likes before and won’t again.”
