Smiles return to Fianna Fáil as Cowen makes slippery start

BRIAN COWEN got his career as Fianna Fáil supremo off to an inauspicious beginning yesterday — reading out the wrong agenda at the opening of the morning’s business in the Dáil.

“That’s a great start,” one TD quipped, as both Government and opposition members laughed.

Indeed, laughter seemed to be the order of the day, as Mr Cowen and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore engaged in humorous verbal jousting that led to much guffawing.