Second plot to remove Ireland's PM

Irish prime minister Brian Cowen could face a second challenge in a week to his leadership of the ruling Fianna Fail party.

Mr Cowen won a secret ballot on his leadership on Tuesday, seemingly securing his position until an election on 11 March but his challenger, former foreign minister Michel Martin, yesterday said the party should think again this weekend.

"I think people are very surprised and shocked by what has happened and it has caused a lot of concern within the Fianna Fail party," Mr Martin told state broadcaster RTE yesterday.

The premier's thwarted reshuffle nearly brought down his coalition government on Thursday and forced him to call an early election.

Mr Martin said: "Given what has happened yesterday, it's time for people to maybe think about it over the next short while. People may have different perspectives and if they do, they should do the appropriate thing."

Mr Cowen was already the most unpopular premier in recent Irish history due to his handling of the economic crisis which forced Dublin to seek an EU/IMF bailout last year. On Thursday, he misjudged the reaction of the junior coalition party to a reshuffle widely viewed as "jobs for the boys".

If unseated as Fianna Fail leader, an immediate dissolution of parliament and a snap election would follow.

But Fianna Fail MP Mary O'Rourke, bemoaning a lost opportunity to remove him, told RTE yesterday: "It's all too late."