Defiant Taoiseach vows to fight on

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has vowed to lead his party into the next general election. In a number of robust media performance since Tuesday's budget, the Taoiseach has moved to quell speculation that his position as Fianna Fáil leader was under threat. He dismissed rumours of a leadership heave and said he wasn't going to resign. The Taoiseach's intervention is believed to have put some rebel backbenchers on the back foot. However, the rumours of discontent among backbenchers are set to continue into the weekend, when TDs may start totting up the numbers to see who would support a heave. But Mr Cowen has been more defiant this week than in recent months. “I am the elected leader of this party, I am the Taoiseach of this country, I don't divest my authority to anyone on that, the Dail has made me Taoiseach and I've enjoyed the full support in great measure, not unanimously,†he said. The Clara man also apologised on Wednesday for the situation that Ireland is currently in. “I am extremely sorry that we are in this situation. Everyone in this country is, and I take a responsibility - as Taoiseach day and night, as leader of the Government, I've been seeking to deal with it.†He added the Government had acted on the best possible advice available.