TAOISEACH BRIAN COWEN is due to make a full statement to the Dáil tomorrow concerning his contact with former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, following his insistence that there was no “hidden or secret agenda” to their discussions.

Rumours of a leadership heave have now resurfaced in the Fianna Fáil party, following Tourism Minister Mary Hanafin’s failure to express full confidence in Cowen last night when repeatedly asked to do so, the Irish Independent reports. Speaking at a convention in Killiney in Dublin, Hanafin said that the questions surrounding Cowen and FitzPatrick’s contact “adds to the instability of the party” at a time when it was facing a general election.

The Labour Party’s Joan Burton also accused Cowen of misleading the Dáil by failing to disclose that he had been contacted by FitzPatrick about the share ownership crisis in Anglo in March 2008.

In a strongly worded statement released last night, Cowen refuted “any suggestions of impropriety” on his part, saying that his opponents were jumping to “malicious and unfounded” conclusions about his contact with the former Anglo chairman:

There was nothing untoward, no hidden or secret agenda and no concessions, favours or interventions requested or granted. Certain people are drawing inferences for political and other motives, they are malicious, unfounded and have no basis in fact.

The Green Party is expected to give its response to Cowen’s statement this afternoon, following a meeting in Malahide this morning.