Cowen Stepping down as FF leader. (Still Taoiseach)

SEPT 23 1989

Announcement at 2 p.m today

Brian Cowen today announced he is standing down as leader of Fianna Fáil but will remain at the head of Government until the March 11 General Election.

After more than a week of political turmoil and a string of ministerial resignations, Mr Cowen said the election should be fought on policies, and "not on personalities".

“I’m concerned that renewed internal criticism of Fianna Fáil is deflecting attention from this important debate,” Mr Cowen said.

“Therefore, taking everything into account after discussing the matter with my family I have taken, on my own counsel, the decision to step down.”

He said he had not consulted with party colleagues in making his decision, but made the dramatic decision to resign after sitting down with his family last night.

“I have been in touch with no senior party figures in relation to this decision,” he said.

Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cowen-to-vacate-ff-helm-but-stay-on-as-taoiseach-490370.html#ixzz1BmWVqNC5

Cheap Thrills!

Not again.

AgileMyth

First decent thing he'll have done. Joke of a man. His disregard for democracy sickens me.

kraggy

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Announcement at 2 p.m today

Source?

Edit: Seems he's resigning as leader of FF but not Taoiseach.

He's in a hotel, not Government Buildings.

Drag00n79

Going to the aras? If he diid how soon would an election be?

WIZE

SEPT is the source

TeddyTedson

I imagine it will go something like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lvL4Bzyumg

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

why is everything important done on the weekends with this government?

OutlawPete

So long farewell, auf wiedersehen goodbye.

fontanalis

In a pub in Clara?

Son Of A Vidic

kraggy wrote: »

He's in a hotel...

At the bar??

kraggy

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

At the bar??

On the bar.

SEPT 23 1989

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

At the bar??

On the bar bellowing and roaring

Agricola

Under the bar, sick as a dog

ilovesleep

Please mr.cowen, take all of ff with you. you are all rotten greedy selfish bastards

iPlop

On twitter http://twitter.com/#!/RTE_Elections

Azureus

Rarely give a damn bout what goes on re the government lately because theyre all shams, but this is a step in the right direction!! Interested to hear what he says at 2!

El Horseboxo

So the prick isn't good enough to lead his own party but think he's good enough for the country. Nice to see he has his priorities straight.

Irish Fire

ilovesleep wrote: »

Please mr.cowen, take all of ff with you. you are all rotten greedy selfish bastards

Who's there that would do any better?? Enda Kenny?? I don't bloody think so....... No matter who was in power during the good times they would have done the same thing!!!!!

orourkeda

How is it possible for a non party leader to stay on as Taoiseach

Wibbs

You really couldnt have made up what the embarrassing, cretinous and corrupt shower of ....... have gotten up to in the last few days and months and years. Yet they're still there. Then again, you mark my words, watch how many of these gits get re-elected by the stupid mouthbreathers out there. Though I think and hope and pray we've finally seen off the Green party and they never get a sniff of a seat again. Rarely have I observed such a bunch of ineffectual cowards as those.

lucozader

http://i56.tinypic.com/f08ax2.jpg

Yeah - is that actually possible?

fontanalis

Irish Fire wrote: »

Who's there that would do any better?? Enda Kenny?? I don't bloody think so....... No matter who was in power during the good times they would have done the same thing!!!!!

No,, FF just didn't enact bad policies but almost the worse possible. They bankrupted the country. That's almost as low as it gets and takes a special kind if rot.

scientific1982

I actually feel bad for the man. Hes responsible for a large part of this mess, but he aint the only one. Bertie is the ultimate villain.

omahaid

Lot of threads being duplicated between here and politics tbh

Mark200

El Horseboxo wrote: »

So the prick isn't good enough to lead his own party but think he's good enough for the country. Nice to see he has his priorities straight.

What's the point changing the Taoiseach with barely weeks to go until the Dail is dissolved anyway? It'd change nothing.

orourkeda wrote: »

How is it possible for a non party leader to stay on as Taoiseach

How isn't it?

Mr Trade In

Anyone know where this will be shown at 2pm, as RTE have films on both channels at the moment.

ilovesleep

scientific1982 wrote: »

I actually feel bad for the man. Hes responsible for a large part of this mess, but he aint the only one. Bertie is the ultimate villain.

Yes, bertie. Ireland cannot let that prick away free.

fontanalis

scientific1982 wrote: »

I actually feel bad for the man. Hes responsible for a large part of this mess, but he aint the only one. Bertie is the ultimate villain.

Me too in a way. I remember a lot of people greeted him as some saviour. He's really just the face of collective group of people so far out of their depth it would be funny if it weren't tragic.
Who next for the poison chalice?

KerranJast

Mr Trade In wrote: »

Anyone know where this will be shown at 2pm, as RTE have films on both channels at the moment.

Dobbo said on Twitter they'll be live on RTE1 at 13:55

SEPT 23 1989

While Cowen plays his pathetic games the country slides further into the abyss

Mark200

Mr Trade In wrote: »

Anyone know where this will be shown at 2pm, as RTE have films on both channels at the moment.

It will be on RTE 1 and here:

http://www.rte.ie/live/

Jesus Wept

Glad I wasn't paying attention to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, ***** just interrupted it.

El Horseboxo

Mark200 wrote: »

What's the point changing the Taoiseach with barely weeks to go until the Dail is dissolved anyway? It'd change nothing.

I want him to step down now, dissolve the Dáil and have an election a lot sooner than March 11th. After the part he played in fúcking up our country the wanker deserves to go under such circumstances. With his head hung in shame.

ejmaztec

Irish Fire wrote: »

Who's there that would do any better?? Enda Kenny?? I don't bloody think so....... No matter who was in power during the good times they would have done the same thing!!!!!

That's been one of the main FF bullsh1t utterances since day 1, and is a complete load of old FF cock.

Mark200

El Horseboxo wrote: »

I want him to step down now, dissolve the Dáil and have an election a lot sooner than March 11th. After the part he played in fúcking up our country the wanker deserves to go under such circumstances. With his head hung in shame.

We need the Finance Bill passed first.

Johnny Bitte

Link

This is madness, the country is pretty much leaderless (more than usual)

minidazzler

Why did he hold a vote of confidence in himself, and win, allowing Micheal Martin to resign, if he himself was going to step down as leader the very next week?

Shenshen

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Announcement at 2 p.m today

I'll believe it when I see it.
That man clings to the post like a fecking barnacle.

liamygunner29

Cowen saw Jim Corr last night and he is getting out before they are all found out!

Irish Fire

The-Rigger wrote: »

Glad I wasn't paying attention to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, ***** just interrupted it.

Bet that's where he wishes he was now.......

Agricola

"Obviously, the position is clear. The paaaarty has decided that I am the leader and for that reason I will be leading them into the election and beyond going forward"

El Horseboxo

Mark200 wrote: »

We need the Finance Bill passed first.

Why do the current Government have to do it?

lucozader

he's speaking irish

what is he saying ?

nyarlothothep

Wibbs wrote: »

You really couldnt have made up what the embarrassing, cretinous and corrupt shower of ....... have gotten up to in the last few days and months and years. Yet they're still there. Then again, you mark my words, watch how many of these gits get re-elected by the stupid mouthbreathers out there. Though I think and hope and pray we've finally seen off the Green party and they never get a sniff of a seat again. Rarely have I observed such a bunch of ineffectual cowards as those.

All the conditions for a major regime change are present here, you have a complete lack of confidence and trust in the current regime, the perception that it is vulnerable, economic turmoil, international support for change. The only thing lacking is a credible opposition movement which people perceive to be effective. If you had that then the system could very likely be overthrown. It will be interesting to see what kinds of new political leaders emerge, I'd wager Declan Ganley might make a surprise return and capitalize on the populist hate vote. Essentially whats happened here is political stagnation through the old boys network, society can fragment when people believe that there is no justice in it, as with certain Israeli Kibbutzims for example.

Shenshen

Can somebody please translate that for us non-Irish?

jimthemental

I can't understand what he's saying, damn vocational school irish teachers:mad:

iPlop

lucozader wrote: »

he's speaking irish

what is he saying ?

I haven't a clue

It'd be hilarious if he said the whole thing in Irish.

Mark200

El Horseboxo wrote: »

Why do the current Government have to do it?

Why would you delay it? Putting it on hold for a change of Government would mean the opposition are pandering to the same hunger for power as they claim FF are doing.