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.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was absent, being in UCD to deliver a speech on the Good Friday agreement. His absence seemed something of a release for Fianna Fáil, the front bench in particular.

Now that Mr Ahern had announced his resignation date, ministers would no longer have to face the increasingly awkward task of defending him. Now that he was going, they could refocus on their own futures rather than his. They might deny it, but the sense of relief was palpable.

The day before, they had mourned Mr Ahern. Twenty-four hours later, they were celebrating Mr Cowen, basking in the glow of a figure who had all the authority, credibility and dominance that Mr Ahern had been sorely lacking in recent months.

The opening section of Thursday’s business in the Dáil affords opposition leaders the opportunity to raise questions about legislation.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny asked about the economy, the Government’s legislative programme and the Rebecca O’Malley case.

Mr Cowen gave perfunctory answers and then it was Eamon Gilmore’s time. In stark contrast with the dismissive way in which Mr Cowen appears to view Mr Kenny, he seems to regard Mr Gilmore as an equal — even as a future coalition partner, some have speculated. Whatever the case, the body language between the two men is much warmer than between Mr Cowen and Mr Kenny.

And so the banter began. Mr Gilmore asked about the electoral amendment bill, a piece of legislation that will see a number of Dáil and European constituencies redrawn. Mr Cowen responded and threw in a few quips and gentle digs at Labour. Mr Gilmore and his colleagues responded in kind.

It was mildly funny, certainly not uproarious stuff, but to the Fianna Fáil front bench, it seemed comedy genius.

After a difficult six months, in which smiles were few and far between, the sunshine had returned. Cowen was in command, and Bertie Ahern was already yesterday’s man. What a difference a day makes.