Cork Radio host jerks it on Aer Lingus flight

Cowen drinks while Ireland sinks - now why doesn't that surprise me?' Neil Prendeville on this week's hangover hullabaloo...

I was on a short break to Nice when news of our Taoiseach's latest cock-up broke. I got a text from a buddy saying... 'Main headline on RTE News today is that Cowen denies being hungover during interview.
Don't bother coming home, you couldn't make it up in this country sometimes...'

If the content of the text hadn't been so serious it may well have been worth a smile, but instead it made me mad. Mad at a Taoiseach who continues to give two fingers to the Irish people, mad at our politicians, particularly the Greens, who continue to prop him up and mad at us as a nation for not having the ability to oust this bungling embarrassment and his henchmen. If you don't know much about hangovers, let me enlighten you, they have devastating consequences.

I'm not talking about the furry tongue that ends up stuck to the roof of your mouth or the insatiable hunger. I'm referring to the effects a hangover can have on your rationale, your decision making and your ability to think and act on your feet. I have suffered the consequences of a hangover just like many other people, but then I'm not trying to lead a country, a country on its knees fighting for survival. You or I wouldn't go out on the lash ahead of an important day or during a crisis time in our lives because we would want to feel in control and focused. Cowen, however, doesn't live by such standards. He can go out on the lash at a time when the country is crippled financially, ahead of a radio interview the following morning. Why? Because he's arrogant. He believes that he is invincible and why wouldn't he? The like of me and you have kept returning him and his ilk to power year after year. Cowen believes he has absolute power and for that reason he behaves like a dictator rather than a democratically elected leader. But then, of course, he is not a democratically elected leader - he was parachuted in when Bertie jumped ship or was pushed, so he doesn't even have a mandate from the people - perhaps that's the reason he never listens to the public.

Cowen should be warned that there is nothing as mighty as people power and while we're slow to get off the blocks, when we do get going he won't know what hit him. That day, I believe, is not far off. Cowen has brought shame on himself and the office of Taoiseach not only in this country but also overseas - the BBC, the New York Times and the New York Post all carried stories on his behaviour. Already we are the disgrace of Europe if not the world because of our banking fiasco, our credit rating is nil and no foreign investor in their right mind would ever think of setting up in business here. At a time when our leader should be trying to build the reputation of this state nationally and internationally, he is instead set on sabotaging it. For too long we have been derided as being the 'drunken Irish', we have been typecast the world over as a nation of drinking Paddies and our Taoiseach has played right into that cliché, making us a laughing stock. Shame on him, but perhaps that is all he knows - didn't he earn his stripes in the Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway races and other such drinking dens.

I will admit to having had a few drinks too many on a number of occasions. I've woken up to a thunderous hangover more than once, but I am not Taoiseach, I am not being paid way over the odds by the public to try to get them out of a mess that I got them into in the first place. Brian Cowen should hang his head in shame, he is doing nothing for the unemployed, the sick, the working class, the elderly or the other sections of this society that he has crippled financially. I am sure that there are many marganilised and poor Irish people who would love a few pints, or something to sing about like Cowen, but they can't afford it. Unlike their Taoiseach, every cent of theirs is accounted for, meanwhile he doesn't have to account for anything. €50k in unvouched expenses would buy a lot of pints - no questions asked!

While the vast majority of the public are disgusted at how the country is being run and 3.30am drinking sessions, why should we be? Fianna Fáil with Cowen holding up the bar, quaffed numerous bottles of €350-a- bottle French red wine last year on an expenses-paid trip to Cork.

What does this tell us about those that run Ireland? What we should be screaming about is the 42,000 sick people on hospital waiting lists and how Harney has failed to deliver on her simple promise to sort out the Irish health service. Then again, one look at either Harney or Cowen and I am far from inspired with confidence. Before anyone attacks me for attacking their appearance, don’t bother. Appearance matters. In order to work efficiently and inspire confidence, one must look fit and well if it's within your ability. They look neither and probably spend little or no time at all looking after their fitness and appearance. To fall out of bed, late for a national radio interview beggars belief, almost as much disbelief as the comment by the interviewer who said "Thank you, Taoiseach for coming to the interview before your breakfast.” Breakfast? It was ten to nine on a working day! Anyone in the country who still has a job had half a day’s work done already.

http://www.thecorknews.ie/?q=content%2Fcowen-drinks-while-ireland-sinks