Taoiseach Brian Cowen looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, writes DEAGLÁN de BRÉADÚN, Political Correspondent, in Co Offaly
ALL POLITICS is local and Taoiseach Brian Cowen chose his home base in Co Offaly to announce his decision not to stand in the general election, 27 years after he was first elected to the Dáil in 1984.
There had been intense speculation about his intentions since he announced last Saturday week at an hour’s notice to the media that he was stepping down as leader of Fianna Fáil but continuing as head of Government for the time being.
A well-placed local Fianna Fáil source was in no doubt yesterday that Cowen would announce his retirement from politics.
The national media began to converge on the Axis Business Park on the outskirts of Tullamore where Midlands 103 is based and Tullamore Tribune journalist, Gearóid Keegan, was presenting a new election programme called Agenda.
There is a certain irony in the fact that Cowen’s political career has come to an end at the same time in his life as that of his late father, although happily not for the same reason.
Even long-time observers are having difficulty adjusting to the speed with which Cowen went from the success of his motion of confidence in himself at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to a position where he is now stepping down as Taoiseach and member of Dáil Éireann, having already stepped down as party leader.
Said to have been one of the brightest pupils to attend Mount St Joseph’s Cistercian College at Roscrea, Co Tipperary, he was the gilded youth of Fianna Fáil when he won his Dáil seat at the early age of 24.
He was a close supporter of Albert Reynolds who made him a minister at the age of 33 and told friends that Cowen would himself be taoiseach one day.
Gifted with a sharp intelligence and quick wit, Cowen glided almost effortlessly from one cabinet post to the next, not making a massive impact but avoiding most of the pitfalls at the same time.
When he became minister for finance in 2004, virtually everyone knew he would become party leader and taoiseach in time and he was duly anointed as such in advance by the incumbent, Bertie Ahern.
His four years in the Department of Finance are now the subject of intense controversy and he stands accused of failing to take the necessary measures and precautions to ensure the ship of state would be in a better position to withstand the economic hurricane that eventually came our way.
He was unapologetic last night, insisting that “hindsight is a 20-20 vision exercise”.
He also defended his actions on the economy as Taoiseach and derided the main Opposition parties for holding what he said were contradictory policies.
Asked by reporters after his radio interview what particular aspect of his career stood out in retrospect, he said it was the Northern Ireland peace process and the opportunity he had been given, along with others, to assist in ending the long and bloody conflict.
He expressed the hope, as a “constitutional republican”, that the two communities would grow closer in time but he added that he was not laying down any set agenda in this regard.
A family man above all, Cowen had consulted those close to him before announcing his decision. He looked like a man who was disappointed at the final turn of events but also like someone from whom a great weight had been lifted.
Although he was unsure if he would have a vote at the Laois- Offaly selection convention of Fianna Fáil tonight, he intended to speak there. However, he refused to comment on speculation that his younger brother, Barry Cowen, a councillor, will be put forward as a candidate.
There is also speculation that Minister of State for Health John Moloney, will not be going forward. Laois-based TD Seán Fleming is likely to run and John Foley, also a councillor, who secured nearly 6,000 first preferences in the last general election, is also expected to present himself for selection.