Published: Wednesday, 7th July, 2010 5:30pm

O'Rourke expects a Fianna Fáil defeat at next general election

Deputy Mary O'Rourke

Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke has said she expects her party to be voted out of power at the next general election.

"When you're at 24% in the polls how could you expect otherwise?" asked the Athlone TD yesterday (Tuesday).

Deputy O'Rourke was speaking to the Westmeath Independent following a radio interview with RTÉ's Pat Kenny.

While acknowledging the likelihood of the party's election defeat, she said Fianna Fáil was making the tough decisions necessary for economic recovery.

"I've said that if we stayed on now we'd have all the tough decisions taken. The 'donkey work' would be done, so to speak.

"I would also prefer to be part of a government that is working to clean up a financial mess than part of an opposition that's pretending everyone will get what they want when they come into power," she said. Deputy O'Rourke added that, while there was a general "crossness" in Fianna Fáil towards Taoiseach Brian Cowen, she did not foresee a leadership challenge within the party.

"I see nobody who's any better than Brian Cowen. He's strong, determined and intelligent.

"At any rate, any of the Ministers who might harbour leadership ambitions would know full well from the cabinet discussions how difficult things are. Who wants to have that hoisted on their shoulders? They're too busy trying to protect their budgets against a mauling from the Department of Finance."

A recent Sunday Business Post/Red C poll showed support for Fianna Fáil at 24%, which was less than that received by the Labour party (27%) and Fine Gael (33%).