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FF Heave

Former junior minister 'expects Cowen to resign' after Budget

Kildare TD Seán Power tells his local radio station he understands Cowen will go as soon as the Budget is delivered.

A FIANNA FÁIL TD who was dropped as a junior minister when Brian Cowen reduced the number of positions has said he expects Cowen to resign as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil immediately after the Budget is delivered.

Speaking on KFM this morning, Power said it was his ‘understanding’ that Cowen would resign shortly after December 7, when the Budget was delivered, and that he would not necessarily stay to ensure that the Bills as part of the Budget were enacted.

RTÉ News reports that Power described the Taoiseach as having been “very defensive” during last night’s meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, and had shown “very little humility”.

Furthermore, he had not told the meeting whether he intended to lead Fianna Fáil into the election, whenever it was to take place.

Earlier this week, Power was one of three Fianna Fáil TDs who openly called for Brian Cowen to resign, telling RTÉ’s Liveline that the country had “lost faith in him, and I think it needs a new opportunity.

“The credibility of the man is gone. The country deserves a new leader,” the Irish Times reported him as saying.

This morning, when Power’s interview was raised in the Dáil by Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore, Cowen said he had given “no such indication to anybody, including Mr Power”.

Listen to Seán Power on KFM >