Lenihan's Cancer 'Stabilised'

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has said his cancer has stabilised after a course of chemo and radiotherapy.

Speaking yesterday about his disease, Mr Lenihan said his condition poses “no clear or immediate danger” to him and that his condition was stable for the present.

During an interview with RTÉ’s News at One at Baldonnel airport , the Finance Minister said: “My energy levels are much better. I am now in a position to get on with the important decisions that have to be taken in this country over the next two months. Of course, when you have a cancer, you are always at risk.”

Mr Lenihan said he would not require treatment for the rest of the year.

The announcement coincides with speculation that Mr Lenihan could be positioning for a run at Fianna Fail's leadership.

Backbenchers disgruntled with Brian Cowen's leadership claimed last night Mr Lenihan had failed to rule out a future leadership bid, however, the Finance Minister has dismissed the rumours.

When asked about taking the party's reigns last night, Mr Lenihan said: "There isn't a vacancy at present so we're not at the stage where you can start talking about who would or would not be leader of a party."

"Some other taoisigh have made the point. . . everyone wants to be party leader at some stage. But there's no vacancy at present. That's the position. The Taoiseach and myself have worked very, very closely on the different problems facing the country. He was chosen by the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party as the leader and nobody has suggested to me that that should be changed.”

He said Mr Cowen had given him tremendous support. “I have to say that of all the taoisigh we have had in Ireland, I don’t think we have seen a taoiseach who has had to sustain so much personal abuse in commentary."

(DW/GK)