F*cking Brian Cowan!

connundrum

Fine Gael has criticised the Taoiseach for using unparliamentary language towards the Opposition in a conversation captured on the Dáil microphones this morning.

However RTÉ News understands Brian Cowen was not referring to Fine Gael.

The party had just been involved in angry exchanges over health spending.

AdvertisementAfter Leaders' Questions, Brian Cowen was heard using profanity in a conversation with Tánaiste and Enterprise Minister Mary Coughlan.

A Government spokesman confirmed the microphones had picked up what he said was 'a private exchange that was not on the Dáil record.'

Fine Gael's Dan Neville cited the remarks in a statement, claiming Mr Cowen had displayed his intolerance for the difficult questions which his party had been putting to him on health spending.

He claimed the Taoiseach had lost it and his use of the f-word referred to Fine Gael.

But after the angry exchanges over health Mr Cowen had been questioned by Labour's Eamon Gilmore on price increases and what he said had been the failure of the National Consumer Agency and other bodies to act.

RTÉ News understands that what the Taoiseach said to Ms Coughlan was: 'We need to get a handle on this, will you ring those f***ers.'

That was a reference to the relevant officials rather than the opposition. The incident is now closed, but may well pass into Leinster House folklore.

Cowen threatens Dail hecklers


At one point in the exchanges over health, Mr Cowen told the Fine Gael spokesman on Health, Dr James Reilly, that if the heckling continued, he could arrange that Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny would not be heard in the chamber again.

The row erupted after Mr Kenny questioned the Taoiseach about health expenditure.

A charge that Fine Gael had not backed a single initiative aimed at improving health services drew instant howls from Mr Kenny's front bench.

Dr Reilly was the most vocal, bellowing across the chamber that Mr Cowen was playing the man not the ball.

Amid continued noisy exchanges, the Taoiseach warned that he could organise similar behaviour from his own benches, before bluntly threatening Dr Reilly.

Mr Kenny protested, the Ceann Comhairle intervened and calm was restored.

Bertie Ahern frequently had to endure barracking from the Opposition during Leaders' Questions, sometimes complaining to the Ceann Comhairle.

But Mr Cowen signalled today he would not be taking it from Fine Gael and Labour, even if he has left himself open to a charge of conduct unbecoming of a Government leader.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0521/dail.html

So he said a naughty word, not copping that the mic was still switched on. Lets lamp him!

ferdi

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055298355

Mena

Whatever your politics, fair play to him. About time there was some passion there. Besides, the shouting match that preceeded this was akin to a kindergarden classroom...

Thrill

RTÉ News understands that what the Taoiseach said to Ms Coughlan was: 'We need to get a handle on this, will you ring those f***ers.'

:D

Naughty, naughty Brian.

Maybe he meant "ring those f***ers necks"

gogglebok

"At one point in the exchanges over health, Mr Cowen told the Fine Gael spokesman on Health, Dr James Reilly, that if the heckling continued, he could arrange that Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny would not be heard in the chamber again."

That's very dodgy. The leader of the country threatens to obliterate the oppositions's voice in parliament with an organised claque. What kind of attitude is that? The most worrying thing is that it's so early in his tenure. What might he be like when he's had a longer taste of power?

Genghiz Cohen

gogglebok wrote: »

That's very dodgy. The leader of the country threatens to obliterate the oppositions's voice in parliament with an organised claque. What kind of attitude is that? The most worrying thing is that it's so early in his tenure. What might he be like when he's had a longer taste of power?

Well if the leader of a party can't keep his followers in check, then he isn't fit to lead.
As said the shouting match was of the same calibre as a primary school playground.

ronnie3585

Hero!

I bet his approval rating will get a bump:D

Mackman

imo its good to see him take charge and putting a stop to the **** that bertie had to put up with. its exactly what the dail needs, someone who has a pair

Winters

**** Yeah, Cowan!

lostexpectation

does anyone not think cowan never grew up?

Sherifu

Cowan has gone up in my estimation.

Lockstep

F*cking Brian Cowen....

Yeah, I would.

AckwelFoley

Brian Cowen ftw.

F*** 'em all.

Looking for any chance for a bit of scandal the bleedin meeja.. fcuk em

phog

TV3 made a meal of the whole thing, they really do the tabloid sort of story.

I can never understand why when one side ask a question the other side havn't the good manners to listen to the response.

School kids the whole lot of them and then they wonder why people don't vote.

ninty9er

Fucking Consumer Affairs:D:D

I'm delighted anyway. Reality has finally reached Dáil Éireann.

Boo YA

Rb

Brian Cowen, F*ck yeah, comin' again to save the mother f*ckin' day yeah

bug

The Newstalk commentary this evening said it was possible he was talking about an Oil Delegation due to arrive from England, the commentary from Newstalk was somewhat spliced, so I dont know the time line.

It was in the context of "bring 'em over....

either way, now wonder they get sweet f-kall done. Shouting at each other like idiots. How about a few grunts and moans like the house of commons eh?

muletide

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

AckwelFoley

muletide wrote: »

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

Couldnt agree more

SimpleSam06

How do you pronounce *** anyway?

AckwelFoley

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

How do you pronounce *** anyway?

Its pronounced.. "Astrix astrix astrix"

gurramok

So Brian is doing a Bertie by being a man of the people using everday lingo like 'ring da f***ers', at least Bertie didn't curse

Dublin1600

ninty9er wrote: »

Fucking Consumer Affairs:D:D

I'm delighted anyway. Reality has finally reached Dáil Éireann.

Boo YA

FF already fukked up the economy, wasted all the good years on poxy leaking tunnels and motorway carkparks and health systems that dont work, so we'll be hearing that word a lot more

leninbenjamin

i heard a bit of the debate earlier on. the opposition were shouting and roaring their heads off, like a football match when fans get on the refs back. shameful to think they rep about 40% of the pop, their behaviour was disgraceful and they go whining about a wee curse word? as bad as FF are, thank f*ck the other shower aren't in control...

jezza

muletide wrote: »

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

+1

He's a great leader

Riddle101

Lol at all the posts with F**k in them. Anyway i was happy Cowen when Cowen said that, jhust for the fact that it shows he dosen't take s**t from anyone and i praise him for not backing down, if i were him i'd have Enda brought to the back of the dail and beaten, Just kidding.

Fine Gael really overreact to things, he was clearly talking about the officials not FG, but as usual Fine Gael try to use any method to demoralise Fianna Fail, well done FG *clap* *clap*

Rowley Birkin QC

Fcukin A Brian Cowan.

darkman2

Riddle101 wrote: »

Lol at all the posts with F**k in them.

We are just following our leader's f**king example.

Lao Lao

gogglebok wrote: »

"That's very dodgy. The leader of the country threatens to obliterate the oppositions's voice in parliament with an organised claque. What kind of attitude is that? The most worrying thing is that it's so early in his tenure. What might he be like when he's had a longer taste of power?

Have you actually watched or listened to anything in politics over the last six months or more??? I am in no way a supporter of FF but over the last six months, FG TD's have constantly shouted down our then leader of the country over and over.

Brian Cowen has gone up in my estimation for actually being upfront by basically saying

'Right, you're a shower of cnuts and ye have been shouting us down for months now rather than actually engage in any kind of policy debate so if that's the game you want, we have more TD's and can shout you down louder. Otherwise, kop on and lets's get on with the business we're here to do'

Fair balls to the man - And as for using the F word, give me a break, it's the most commonly used word in Ireland, what's all the fuss over!

kerry4sam

muletide wrote: »

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

+1

kmart6

Some how I ended up watching this crap earlier today,and have to say it was embarrasing! They way the FG party backbenchers kept shouting crap at Cowen when he was tryin to answer the Q asked by Kenny was childish,and yes I am aware of that's how it seem's to work,but personally I think it is a disgrace,no matter what goverment is in place the opposition always has to disagree,immature really!

tech77

Cowan's apparent straight-talking, no-nonsense style is a refreshing change.
However his threat to have the opposition silenced was bizarre and a tad worrying. :eek:
Numerous FF sources have been reported as being unhappy with his dogmatic and authoritarian style- also worrying. One guy even referenced Stalin to describe his leadership style. LOL

This incident reminds me of Bush being overheard calling a journo an a$$hole off mic at a press conference a few years ago (without the offence part in this case).

Oh and **** yeah.

kmart6

Prince Charles did someghing similar when him and the son's were skiing,was referring to the photographers I think!!

gogglebok

Lao Lao wrote: »

Have you actually watched or listened to anything in politics over the last six months or more??? I am in no way a supporter of FF but over the last six months, FG TD's have constantly shouted down our then leader of the country over and over.

Brian Cowen has gone up in my estimation for actually being upfront by basically saying

'Right, you're a shower of cnuts and ye have been shouting us down for months now rather than actually engage in any kind of policy debate so if that's the game you want, we have more TD's and can shout you down louder. Otherwise, kop on and lets's get on with the business we're here to do'

Fair balls to the man - And as for using the F word, give me a break, it's the most commonly used word in Ireland, what's all the fuss over!

Couldn't agree more about the swearing. It's a non-story in a country with a fine tradition of gob-filth.

As to the playground stuff, maybe Fine Gael have been rowdy gits, but his response was at least as bad. Couldn't he rise above it? Or make a proper issue of it? "We can make sure you never get heard in the Dail chamber" is not good politics, and it's not good democracy.

phantom_lord

Winters wrote: »

**** Yeah, Cowan!

.

Gone West

Get fúcking over it like, he was on his way out of the fúcking joint and he barely whispered it to Harney (the fúcking fat bitch).
Hes an energetic taoiseach, with a fúcking obvious fondness for the alcohol, who works really hard and is already putting in great work for the fúcking country. Leave him be to do his fúcking job and don't mind anything the tabloids sensationalise it to.

Did yous see that fúcking picture in metro this morning? A stock photo of him pointing wit h an angry look on his face, which made it seem to the casual reader that he was pointing and swearing at someone, which is not the fúcking truth at all.

all the stars

i get the impression he actually is rooting for the working people..

Seems to get p*ssed off with the pen pushers who just hold actual work up. And, really thats not a bad thing. i'm kinda fed up of the pen-pushers making life harder for actual workers who graft for a living..

Brian obviously didn't watch the Naked Gun

axer

muletide wrote: »

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

+1

token56

I think Mr Cowan needs a hug

Wook

can someone please insert a photoshop image with Brian cowen telling the 'mother****ing oposition parties to mother****ing shutup, or get the **** out of his mother****ing dail' oh and also give him a afro?:P

mickoneill30

kmart6 wrote: »

They way the FG party backbenchers kept shouting crap at Cowen when he was tryin to answer the Q asked by Kenny was childish,and yes I am aware of that's how it seem's to work,but personally I think it is a disgrace,no matter what goverment is in place the opposition always has to disagree,immature really!

Does it work though? Anybody who sees that kind of behaviour is generally not impressed. I'm never going to vote for a muppet that behaves like they're in school with a teacher that can't control them.

Although thinking back, that probably rules out most TDs.:p

I lived in Australia for a few years. I saw a couple of punches being thrown in their parliament. Obviously that wasn't standard behaviour but at least our guys have never done that (yet).

Gone West

mickoneill30 wrote: »

Although thinking back, that probably rules out most TDs.:p

No actually, despite popular perception, most TDs are well mannered, highly intelligent, reserved, 50-something, professional businessmen/women who don't engage in rude or agressive shouting.
Its just the jumped up wannabe opossition (mostly) and the few hyped up coke heads in government who shout a lot etc.

Varadkar (general twat/wannabe d4 head/FG attack dog/fall guy), Reilly (thinks he is hilarious and saving the world at the same time), Gilmore (thinks hes fighting for the underdog, hardly), and so on. All they do is delay time in the Daíl and waste resources which could be used to debate proper issues. Examples are all the shouting, aggro and timewasting about Berties finances, designed solely to weaken the government for the next election, not improve the country's parliament or laws.

Dyr

FuzzyLogic wrote: »

Hes an energetic taoiseach,

the f***kers arse has barely touched the taoiseachs chair and you're calling him an energetic taoiseach? get off the stage

he's not that familiar with expending energy judging by the size of him. The government jet will have its work cut out carrying him and jabba harney at the same time

Dragan

Nice to know the people elected to run out country still can't manage to have a civil conversation with each other.

Shower of morons.

Gone West

Bambi wrote: »

the f***kers arse has barely touched the taoiseachs chair and you're calling him an energetic taoiseach? get off the stage

Youtube Brian Cowen. Crazy fecker.
Yes, he's not been in long but that doesn't disqualify him from pundits making observations.

he's not that familiar with expending energy judging by the size of him.

Irrelevant! This is senseless filler.

The government jet will have its work cut out carrying him and jabba harney at the same time

again, Irrelevant! This is senseless filler.
Fat people can be great politicians, but trying to discredit people simply because they are overweight is idiocy really, and just makes your whole point seem silly. sorry

Dyr

You're saying he's an engergetic taoiseach when he literally hasnt been in the job a wet day, at least my observations are based on fact...... or physics :pac:

Tabnabs

FuzzyLogic wrote: »

Get fúcking over it like, he was on his way out of the fúcking joint and he barely whispered it to Harney (the fúcking fat bitch).

Never let the truth get in the way of a good rant, eh Fuzzy...

(You do know they're not talking about ****ing Bertie as well don't you )

meditraitor

Its a PR stunt, makes him look more human.

Marcus.Aurelius

He lives up to the legend of his county. F*cking BIFFO!!!!

Cormic

muletide wrote: »

The more I hear Enda Kenny on the news the more he reminds me of that snivelling little kid in school who hid behind the teacher (in this case the Ceann Comhairle) and whinged "He hurt me"

I mean for fu<ks sake if you are really that offended get out of politics. In my opinion that man is the main reason we dont have a proper opposition

Grow a spine Enda if you want to play with the big boys. Cowen is relishing the next few years picking you apart.

Oh and by the way Cowen is growing in my estimations by the day - straight talking, single minded, determined and competent (about time)

You hit the nail on the head there. So he used a 'bad' word. Get over it.