Ireland's Prime Minister, Brian Cowen, arrives for a news conference in the Alexander Hotel, Dublin, January 16,2011. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said on Wednesday he had taken over the foreign affairs portfolio after Micheal Martin, who had challenged the premier’s leadership, resigned from the post.

Cowen won a vote of confidence in the leadership of the ruling Fianna Fail party on Tuesday, securing his position until a parliamentary election, expected in March.

“The president, on my advice, today accepted the resignation of Deputy Micheal Martin as a member of the government. I have assigned the department of foreign affairs to myself from today,” Cowen told parliament.

Martin, the most popular would-be contender for the leadership post, was the only senior cabinet member to publicly challenge Cowen who critics feared had become a political liability ahead of the election after allegations of cosy relations with disgraced former bankers.

Martin said the very survival of the Fianna Fail party, which is trailing in opinion polls and could possibly lose half its parliament seats, was at risk.