Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen
Tánaiste
In office 13 September 2006 – 14 June 2007
Preceded by	Michael McDowell
Minister for Finance
Incumbent
Assumed office September 29, 2004
Prime Minister	Bertie Ahern
Preceded by	Charlie McCreevy
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office January 27, 2000 – September 29, 2004
Prime Minister	Bertie Ahern
Preceded by	David Andrews
Succeeded by	Dermot Ahern
Minister for Health & Children
In office June 26, 1997 – January 27, 2000
Prime Minister	Bertie Ahern
Preceded by	Michael Noonan
Succeeded by	Micheál Martin
Personal details
Born	250px (1960-01-10) January 10, 1960 Clara County Offaly Ireland
Died	250px
Resting place	250px
Political party	Fianna Fáil
Spouse	Mary Molloy
Parent	250px

Brian Cowen (Irish: Brian Ó Comhain; born 10 January, 1960) is a senior Irish Fianna Fáil politician and the current Tánaiste of Ireland. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the constituency of Laois-Offaly since 1984 and since September, 2004 he has served as Minister for Finance. He has previously worked as Minister for Labour (1992–1993), Minister for Energy (1993), Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications (1993–1994), Minister for Health & Children (1997–2000) and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2000–2004). Cowen is also the Deputy-Leader of the Fianna Fáil party. Cowen's promotion to the positions of deputy-leader of Fianna Fáil and Minister for Finance indicate his high standing within the party and within the Irish government. He is widely regarded in political circles as a possible future leader of Fianna Fáil and as a possible future Taoiseach. [1]

Early and private life

Brian Cowen was born in Clara, County Offaly, the son of Bernard Cowen, a former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator, and the grandson of Christopher Cowen. The family owned a public house in the town while his father also worked as an auctioneer. Cowen was educated at Clara National School, Ard Scoil Naomh Chiaráin, the Cistercian College of Mount St. Joseph in Roscrea, and at University College Dublin where he studied law. He subsequently qualified as a solicitor from the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland in Dublin.

Cowen is married to Mary Molloy and has two daughters. He is a member of the Gaelic Athletic Association he is a keen supporter of Offaly GAA in both hurling and Gaelic football, as well as being a supporter of his local GAA club. In spite of being one of the most high profile members of the government Cowen still likes to socialise with his constituents in some of the local pubs in his native Offaly. In May 2003 he took part in a charity CD project organised by 'The Brewery Tap' pub in Tullamore. All proceeds from the CD went to charity and featured 28 songs, including Cowen singing the Phil Coulter song, "The Town I Loved So Well". [2]

Early political life

Cowen was elected to Dáil Éireann in the Laois-Offaly by-election of 1984, caused by the death of his father Bernard. At the time Cowen, at the age of 24, became one of the youngest-ever members of the Dáil. He was also appointed to Offaly County Council in the same year, taking over the seat vacated by his late father. He served on that authority until 1992.

Cowen remained on the backbenches of Dáil Éireann for the next seven years. Following the general election in 1989 when Fianna Fáil entered into a coalition government with the Progressive Democrats for the first time, Cowen was one of a number of TDs who were vehemently opposed to the move. Two years later in November 1991 the then Minister for Finance, Albert Reynolds, challenged Charles Haughey for the leadership of the party. Cowen firmly aligned himself behind Reynolds and quickly became a member of the so-called Country & Western gang. Reynolds's supporters earned this nickname due to the fact that the vast majority were rural deputies and that Reynolds had made a lot of money in the dance hall business in the 1960s.[3] Reynolds became leader on his second attempt, when Haughey was forced to retire as Taoiseach in 1992.

Reynolds appointed Cowen as Minister for Labour. In spite of being a member of the cabinet his attitude to his coalition partners, the Progressive Democrats, was hostile. This was evident at the Fianna Fáil party's Ard Fheis (party conference) in March 1992. In the main warm-up to the leader's address, Cowen was even more blunt regarding his attitude to coalition, making the statement, What about the PDs? When in doubt leave them out.

The election produced a hung Dáil and resulted in negotiations getting underway between all the main parties. Cowen, along with Noel Dempsey and Bertie Ahern, negotiated on behalf of Fianna Fáil in an attempt to form a government with the Labour Party. Cowen appeared to be the most uncomfortable member of the team, however, he soon emerged as the hard man of the negotiations. A deal was reached between the two parties, and Cowen was again appointed Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications. In that role he implemented the controversial decision to relax the so-called stopover at Shannon Airport, which allowed limited direct trans-atlantic flights from Dublin Airport. The decision proved divisive and saw one Fianna Fáil TD, Síle de Valera, resign from the party in protest.

In 1994 Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil. Bertie Ahern became the new leader, however, the party was now in opposition. Cowen was appointed to the front bench, first as spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and Forestry (1994) and later as spokesperson on Health (1997).

Cabinet career: 1997–present

Minster for Health & Children

When Fianna Fáil returned to power following the 1997 general election, Cowen was appointed to the newly-expanded position of Minister for Health & Children, something of a poisoned chalice in Irish politics. Cowen himself even described his period there as like being in Angola because landmines can go off without any warning. [4] During his tenure he had to deal with the usual problems of bed shortages and overcrowding in hospitals, as well as a prolonged nurses strike in 1999. It came as a relief to Cowen when he was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in January 2000.

Minster for Foreign Affairs

Cowen's tenure as Foreign Minister saw extensive negotiations continue regarding the Northern Ireland peace process and other international activities, particularly when Ireland gained a place on the United Nations Security Council. In 2003 Cowen, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, was the victim of a bizarre personal attack by the leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, Ian Paisley, a former outspoken critic of the Republic of Ireland and its government. In front of a crowd of party supporters and in the presence of television cameras and radio reporters, Paisley launched into a diatribe about Cowen's personal appearance before also insulting his mother. [5] In 2004 Cowen played a key role during Ireland's Presidency of the European Council and the simultaneous expansion of the European Union.

Minister for Finance

In September 2004, the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, announced his long-awaited for cabinet reshuffle. Following the departure of Charlie McCreevy it was an open secret that Cowen was destined to succeed him as Minister for Finance. On December 1, 2004, Cowen announced his first budget, a budget that was generally seen as a give-away budget in which spending was increased by 9%. [6] In an Irish Independent poll asking people how they rated Cowen's first Budget, 48 per cent said that 'overall he got the balance just about right', 26 per cent said 'Not bad, he should have done more for the underprivileged' and the other 26 per cent said 'Same old stuff, just presented differently'.[7] Cowen's second budget in 2005 was dominated by a new childcare package, and measures to take 'tax-free millionaires' back into the tax net from 2007 by restricting tax breaks. A readjustment of income-tax measures were designed to take 52,000 low earners out of the tax net and remove 90,000 middle earners from the higher tax band. [8] Cowen's third budget, in anticipation of the upcoming general election, was regarded as one of the biggest spending sprees in the history of the state. The €3.7 billion package included increases in pension and social welfare allowances, a marked green agenda, as well as a reduction in the top rate of tax from 42% to 41%. [9]

The future

At present Brian Cowen is often touted in the media as the front-runner to succeed Bertie Ahern as leader of Fianna Fáil. [10] Should he decide to stand for the leadership of the party Cowen will have at least two other challengers for the top job. In 2003 the then Minster for Education, Noel Dempsey, announced that he would seek the leadership of Fianna Fáil if the position became available. [11] In 2006 Cowen's successor as Minster for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, announced that he would also stand in any future leadership contest. [12] Cowen's hand, should he seek the leadership, has been strengthened in recent times as he succeeded Mary O'Rourke as deputy-leader of the party in 2002. He was later appointed Minister for Finance, an almost mandatory position for any aspiring Taoiseach.

Political career

Template:Succession box two to one

External links

• Brian Cowen's page on the Fianna Fáil website
• Brian Cowen's electoral history (ElectionsIreland.org)