Cowen warns against ‘Finance Minister Rabbitte’

FINANCE Minister Brian Cowen yesterday portrayed next year’s election as a straight choice between his party in government managing the economy or “Pat Rabbitte as Minister for Finance”.

In a day of unrelenting attacks on the opposition, Mr Cowen, the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil, questioned Mr Rabbitte’s commitment not to raise taxes.

“That’s why he has been so quiet and noncommittal on the economy. His public position is that he won’t raise taxes. His party’s approach is to spend their way out of every problem.