Cowan steps down as FF leader

[Dave Cahill]

...will remain as Taoiseach

[Amz]

I know it's not practical to change Taoiseach at this point, but it irks me to think that he's not fit to lead his party, but he feels the right/need to continue as Taoiseach.

[Scott]

...will remain as Taoiseach

Thank christ. Mary Coughlan as the leader

[Peg Leg]

Get the fuking bills past and get the fuk out..... now!

[Grumpy Old Man]

Not standing in the election. Bye bye Biffo.

[CRAZYDAVE]

Not standing in the election. Bye bye Biffo.

Would you face the electorate if you already had €146K of a pension in the bag for only 27 years work (i.e. on the batter)

[Broken Wing]

Another coward. He's the 23rd of 70 FF TD's to cut and run.

€330 per day, seven days a week for the rest of his life.

That's what Biffo gets as his reward for overseeing the collapse of our economy.

Oh, and of course his brother inherits his seat.

Sometimes I think we need to put the gun back into Irish politics.

[Donny B.]

Yet another one of the conman who screwed the country to death cuts and runs now that the scam has run it's course.

Plenty of public money now to pay for golf games and boozing sessions with all his own cronies.

[sarah_lennon]

In some countries these people are hung.

I remember people on here calling for a return to the death penalty. What say you now?

[ad nauseam]

In some countries these people are hung.

I remember people on here calling for a return to the death penalty. What say you now?

No. Let's not regress now that we've evolved to a reasonably civilised level.

[sarah_lennon]

In some countries these people are hung.

I remember people on here calling for a return to the death penalty. What say you now?

No. Let's not regress now that we've evolved to a reasonably civilised level.

Society or this thread?

[ad nauseam]

Society or this thread?

Easy now! One step at a time. Society, of course. We'll tackle the difficult task of this thread later.

[Peg Leg]

In some countries these people are hung.

I remember people on here calling for a return to the death penalty. What say you now?

No. Let's not regress now that we've evolved to a reasonably civilised level.

Jabba the Hut is standing down as grand ruler of this pox ridden society, taking with him a personal warchest to keep him afloat whilst the rest of us mere mortals suffer the indignation of paying massive amounts weekly/monthly to keep his chest full and a bloated public administrations pension fund in check. There is nothing civilised about this!

[CRAZYDAVE]

In some countries these people are hung.

I remember people on here calling for a return to the death penalty. What say you now?

No. Let's not regress now that we've evolved to a reasonably civilised level.

Jabba the Hut is standing down as grand ruler of this pox ridden society, taking with him a personal warchest to keep him afloat whilst the rest of us mere mortals suffer the indignation of paying massive amounts weekly/monthly to keep his chest full and a bloated public administrations pension fund in check. There is nothing civilised about this!

He can go back to doing what he does best... A Han(d) Solo

[Sea_point]

Good luck to the constiuents of Laois-Offaly, you gotta love Irish rural politics, especially FF'ers missing the irony of the fifedoms that exist in so many of the constituencies. (Thought they removed the British to stop all that... )

Would hope that 40 years of Cowens would be enough for them to see sense.
Things change, things stay the same...

Cowen's brother seeks to contest election
Tue, Feb 01, 2011

Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s younger brother Barry said this morning he would be seeking the nomination to stand in the Laois-Offaly constituency in the general election.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s younger brother Barry said this morning he would be seeking the nomination to stand in the Laois-Offaly constituency in the general election.

Brian Cowen announced last night he was calling time on his 27-year political career and will not contest the forthcoming election.

Barry Cowen, a local councillor, said this morning he would be putting himself forward at Fianna Fáil’s Laois-Offaly selection convention tonight.

He said his local cumanns in Clara and Tubber, who had nominated his brother in years past, contacted him after last night’s announcement to asked him if he would consider running. “They felt that I was up to it and I was more than glad to accept that challenge and I was greatly honoured and privileged.,” he told RTÉ Radio this morning.

Fianna Fáil is planning to run only two candidates in the constituency in the election.

[Hickiefan]

This fifedom/'dynasty' sh!t depresses me beyond words

[Leinsterman]

This fifedom/'dynasty' sh!t depresses me beyond words

One would hope that the "three generation rule" applies, i.e. the first generation sets up the business, the second maintains it and the third destroys it.
In the country's case, we have the "founding fathers" who were voted in either in 1919 or after independence was achieved.
The second generation took control for the middle of the last century before the current shower (i.e. the thrid generation) destroyed it.

Like yourself, I'm sick of people being voted in simply bcause their father "was a good man"

[fourthirtythree]

This fifedom/'dynasty' sh!t depresses me beyond words

If it's any help there is I think there's a bit of a Harry/Wills thing going on there with Cowen and his brother. I had a quick look at for pictures of Ber to see which one is his but couldn't find any on thar intarwebs.

[Dexter]

This is the guy who says there will always be a Cowen running for election in Clara..in all seriousness, without realising that this is the whole problem in Ireland! Gombeen politics lives.

"And I say this: I have served this party and I have been proud to serve in it in many positions. I canvassed for my late father in elections. I remember my late grandfather who was a founder member of this party," Mr Cowen told 300 activists in the Old Darnley Hotel in Athboy, Co Meath.

"We've been there from the beginning. We'll be there today, we'll be there tomorrow and for as long as there is a national executive, for as long as there is a canvass, for as long as there is a poster to be put up, there'll be a Cowen from Clara."

[Mackman15]

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/latedebate/

(Given that our election thread is locked i thought i had better share this wonderful news)

Can Miriam still chair the big ones now that here brother is a front row advisor.................... All the hallmarks of PJ.
He wrapped up RTE and the Indo all in one day.