Cowen gives passionate defence of record as Meath FF picks four

Two members of Meath County Council have been selected to join sitting TDs Thomas Byrne and Johnny Brady on the Fianna Fail tickets in the Meath constituencies in the 2011 general election. Outspoken Ratoath councillor Nick Killian (Meath East), and the whip of the Fianna Fail party on Meath County Council, Cllr Shane Cassells from Navan (Meath West), both have been chosen by the party to run in the spring election. The Meath West convention in the Old Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy, on Monday night, became the centre of national focus as the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, arrived to address the gathering of party delegates on the night before the leadership challenge by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael Martin. The Taoiseach delivered an almost hour-long and passionate unscripted speech to delegates in which he defended the actions of his government over the past two years, and criticised the “lazy political narrative†which exists in the country. He said the impression is given that, every morning, politicians are getting out of their beds wondering what kind of 'higgery pokery' they would get up to that day. “I am not that type of man and I know the people of this party are not that type of people and I will defend the dignity and honour of the party,†he said. For the stability of the Fianna Fail party, and the stability of the country, he sought the vote of confidence in himself and would abide by the decision of the TDs, saying he was confident of the outcome. The convention also saw the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, make an emotional farewell speech to party members, as well as declaring his support for Brian Cowen in the vote of confidence. Mr Dempsey said that Mr Cowen may be criticised for not communicating with the public, but the reason for that was because he was too busy doing the job which had to be done in managing the country through the economic crisis. Friday night's convention in the Ashbourne House Hotel saw one of Mr Cowen's vocal critics, Cllr Nick Killian, selected to run alongside sitting TD Thomas Byrne in Meath East. This convention wasn't without its controversy with candidates Sharon Keogan and Cllr Killian criticising Fianna Fail headquarters, and Cllr Killian attacking local Fine Gael activists for leaking material about him to the national media. For full coverage of the Fianna Fail selection conventions see this week's Meath Chronicle, on sale now.