Brian Cowen served as Taoiseach from 7 May 2008 until 9 March 2011. He was elected leader of Fianna Fail, and also Taoiseach, following Bertie Ahern's resignation from the position. Before that Cowen held a number of ministerial positions, most notably Finance, and was also Tanaiste for a short period before becoming Taoiseach. He resigned from his leadership of Fianna Fail on the 22 of January 2011 following questions about his leadership arising from within the party. However, he remained on as Taoiseach until the General Election, which he did not contest, and after which he retired form politics.
The Fianna Fáil leader said he had a “good chat” with his predecessor at a recent funeral but neither Cowen nor Bertie Ahern have any input to party policy.
The paper has also acknowledged that the former taoiseach attended a course at Stanford University at his own expense, with no public funding involved.
This month’s Hot Press carries a piece written by a barman at the Galway hotel where Brian Cowen was alleged to have spent the night drinking prior to his infamous interview on Morning Ireland in 2010.
Payments to former Taoisigh for secretarial allowances continued until March – despite Enda Kenny telling the Dáil they would end in January, TheJournal.ie can reveal.
Seán FitzPatrick has kept a low-profile in recent years but there are indications he could soon face charges in connection with alleged financial irregularities at Anglo Irish Bank. Here’s what’s been happening…
The government agency was responding to a report in today’s Irish Mail on Sunday about former taoiseach Brian Cowen’s enrolment on a six-week course at Stanford University.
The probe could see former government ministers, civil servants and banking executives account for their actions ahead of the September 2008 bank guarantee
The Laois-Offaly TD, one of only three new Fianna Fáil TDs to be elected in last year’s general election, said he would never have ran for the Dáil if Brian Cowen hadn’t stepped down.
Nine things to know by 9am: Mullingar assault victim dies, warnings of black ice on roads, how former taoisigh feel the pinch… and a hint for finding a lost wedding ring…
Undone by sex scandals, economic failures, uprisings and other controversies, an astonishing number of high-profile figures resigned from their various posts in the past 12 months.
INDEPENDENT TD MICK Wallace is to file a complaint about the Minister for Justice’s use of information on RTÉ’s Prime Time last week.
Alan Shatter said on live television that the Wexford deputy benefited from garda discretion when he was cautioned for using a mobile phone – but not given penalty points. Wallace insists he is not aware of such an incident.
Shatter has stood by his remarks and he has also been backed by the Taoiseach who said that “people can’t have it both ways”. “You cannot be saying no discretion and at the same time availing of discretion.”
Labour Deputy Kevin Humphreys told Newstalk Breakfast this morning that he thought making the remarks was “poor judgement” on the minister’s part. He called on Shatter to explain how he received the information. Others have claimed the information could have been made public in a different manner, and not on live television without giving Wallace prior warning.
In today’s poll, we ask: Should Alan Shatter have made his comments about Mick Wallace on Prime Time?
Sunny intervals with a shower in places
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Partial sunshine
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