Brian Cowen takes over as Premier in Ireland
A new start: Ireland's outgoing PM Bertie Ahern (L) with incoming Premier Brian Cowen after a ceremony commemorating the 1916 uprising in Dublin, Ireland, yesterday. Picture: Reuters
Thursday, May 8, 2008
BRIAN COWEN, Ireland's finance minister who was set to take over as prime minister yesterday, has a reputation as a no-nonsense lawmaker with a finely-tuned political brain.
Cowen, 48, who was the only contender to succeed current Premier Bertie Ahern as leader of the centrist Fianna Fail party, is widely regarded as a political "bruiser".
In contrast to Ahern who hails from central Dublin, Cowen comes from the rural midlands county of Offaly.
Combative and tough in parliament, he can appear cantankerous and grumpy across the floor of the house in clashes with the opposition. Affable and witty in private, he is a popular figure with his party's 78 backbench lawmakers.
He has also held the ministries of labour (1992-93), transport (1993-94), health (1997-2000) and foreign affairs (2000-04).
His first job when he takes over Ireland's top political post will be to head up the campaign to deliver a "Yes" vote to the EU's key Lisbon Treaty in a referendum expected on June 12.
The Lisbon Treaty — replacing the bloc's doomed constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005 — aims to prevent decision-making gridlock in the expanding bloc. Ireland is the only one of the 27 European Union nations planning to hold a referendum on the treaty.
A "No" vote could scupper it altogether.
After a decade of unprecedented growth, Ireland's so-called Celtic Tiger economy appears to be losing its bite, and Cowen will have to be more austere than his predecessor, who was able to cut taxes and boost welfare allowances.
A former lawyer who is married with two daughters, Cowen is a gifted mimic and enjoys breaking into a song over a pint of Guinness.
His light-hearted nickname is Biffo — said to stand for "Big Ignorant Fellow."AFP
Cowen, 48, who was the only contender to succeed current Premier Bertie Ahern as leader of the centrist Fianna Fail party, is widely regarded as a political "bruiser".
In contrast to Ahern who hails from central Dublin, Cowen comes from the rural midlands county of Offaly.
Combative and tough in parliament, he can appear cantankerous and grumpy across the floor of the house in clashes with the opposition. Affable and witty in private, he is a popular figure with his party's 78 backbench lawmakers.
He has also held the ministries of labour (1992-93), transport (1993-94), health (1997-2000) and foreign affairs (2000-04).
His first job when he takes over Ireland's top political post will be to head up the campaign to deliver a "Yes" vote to the EU's key Lisbon Treaty in a referendum expected on June 12.
The Lisbon Treaty — replacing the bloc's doomed constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005 — aims to prevent decision-making gridlock in the expanding bloc. Ireland is the only one of the 27 European Union nations planning to hold a referendum on the treaty.
A "No" vote could scupper it altogether.
After a decade of unprecedented growth, Ireland's so-called Celtic Tiger economy appears to be losing its bite, and Cowen will have to be more austere than his predecessor, who was able to cut taxes and boost welfare allowances.
A former lawyer who is married with two daughters, Cowen is a gifted mimic and enjoys breaking into a song over a pint of Guinness.
His light-hearted nickname is Biffo — said to stand for "Big Ignorant Fellow."AFP
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