TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen said yesterday he retains the full support of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
“I have the full support of parliamentary party, they support the Government, they know that we have a job to do and we have to get on with it.”
Mr Cowen said the party remains united and “maintained a wonderful discipline” in backing measures to address the economic crisis.
“There are always situations in parliamentary party regarding personality and things like that. What holds us together is a commitment and duty to do what is right by the country, to provide government for this country at this difficult time, implementing the plans that we have that we believe are working.”
In reference to the controversy over the Morning Irelandinterview he said: "I think this matter really is closed at this stage, I mean I have explained very clearly that there was no disrespect intended by me, unfortunately I was hoarse on the day. It wasn't my best performance. There were people who found it hard to decipher what I was saying".
Asked what lessons were to be learned, Mr Cowen replied, “well obviously the situation is to ensure that in terms of doing interviews in future that I am in full voice and that everything is OK on that front. That’s the issue that arose.”
Mr Cowen said anyone who was present on Monday night “would accept on that particular occasion there was nothing unwholesome or raucous or untoward in relation to it. It was just a get-together, a sing-along with the gang in the conviviality of the company”.
“I was also entertaining guests who had come to join us on that day and that evening, who were speakers at the conference and obviously without having to reflect any further on it, the issue is trying to make sure that while enjoying the conviviality of the company, that I would leave sooner,” he said.
Mr Cowen, speaking at the opening of Freund Pharmatec’s new European hub in Tullamore, Co Offaly, refused to be drawn on his treatment by the media.
“I am a long time in politics and you deal with the issues as they arise, you take responsibility for your own actions, you set out your own position. I think most people are fair-minded and indeed, there are members of the media who are fair-minded as well. I don’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill either, I think that really the matter is closed at this stage and I don’t think there is much more to be said about it.”
When asked if he would still visit pubs in Tullamore, he said: “It is important when you are Taoiseach that the dignity of the office has to be upheld at all times. I would hate for anyone to think that I wouldn’t take that aspect of my job seriously.”
“You are also trying of course in doing that job, trying to be yourself, obviously my interests and sporting interests remain. We all get out and about and entertained by sporting and other issues like that so, it’s a question of balance, you have got to find that balance,” he said.
“From my point of view I have always felt I have been able to maintain it but I think such is the atmosphere of politics today perhaps, and the way people interpret things and how things can go off on a tangent very quickly, I would be a bit more cautious in terms of that aspect of how I conduct my social life.”
Mr Cowen defended the social aspect of the gathering. “These party occasions are a get-together where there is a lot of discussion. In terms of the work being done, it started at 10 and finished at six and there was a further after-dinner speaker and there was a social event took place afterwards. That is the nature of those events.”
Mr Cowen repeatedly referred to “the tweet which got international coverage for which there was no basis in fact” and he suggested others should, “reflect on what they did and whether it was justified or not”.