A prominent Fianna Fáil backbencher has questioned whether Taoiseach Brian Cowen is the right man to lead the party into the next election.
At this evening's meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, Kildare South TD Seán Power said there were many questions facing the party and the biggest was whether Mr Cowen was the right man to lead them into the election.
Deputy Power also said most people believed that an election was ‘imminent’.
In response, Mr Cowen said this issue had been raised before the summer by Deputy John McGuinness and it had been dealt with.
He said such suggestions were not helpful in the context of the efforts being made to frame a four-year budgetary framework.
Sources said Mr Cowen received a round of applause.
