The wife of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen has accused Mary Hanafin of disloyalty to Fianna Fáíl party leader Micheál Martin.

In a now deleted Facebook post that was made earlier this week, the Irish Independent reports, Mary Cowen, wife of Brian, warned current party leader Martin that he should “watch his back” regarding Hanafin, as “there wouldn’t be to(sic) much loyalty there.”

Hanafin, a former government minister who is now looking to return to the Dáil, said in a recent Irish Independent article that grassroots party members have called on her to exert more influence on party policy.

Ms Cowen has responded to this by saying Hanafin thinks she is “running the party.”

“I see an article about Mary Hanifin (sic) stating that Fianna Fáil members have called on her to influence party policy she not elected yet and she is running the party,” she wrote.

She added that Ms Cowen “seems to be getting plenty of air and press time” recently.