Taoiseach apologies for Dáil F-word ‘faux pas’

THE Taoiseach has apologised for what he described as his “faux pas” in using bad language in the Dáil but qualified the apology by suggesting the opposition were also guilty of misbehaving.

After his reference to an unidentified party as “those f**kers” was picked up by a microphone in the Dáil on Wednesday, Mr Cowen yesterday asked for forgiveness and said he was not perfect.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to use that language inside or outside the house,” he said.

Speaking to reporters following an address on the Lisbon treaty in Dublin Castle, Mr Cowen said he didn’t want to make a mountain out of a molehill, but said: “I apologise for it. I put my hand up. It’s the mannerly and manly thing to do.”

The Taoiseach said his “private comments” to his colleague, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan were “totally unrelated” to heated exchanges with the opposition minutes earlier.

Referring to heckling from Fine Gael during Leaders’ Questions, Mr Cowen said there was a danger of turning the Dáil into a circus.

“I think there were 44 interruptions that were noted on the record in respect of me trying to reply to the question to which they were seeking an answer.

“I just felt that it was an orchestrated tactic that needed to be called for what it was. But it was totally unrelated to the other issue,” he said.

Earlier he told Midlands Radio that the opposition were being “politically mischievous” by trying to get a “cheap headline” after his use of bad language.

“We then have Mr Kenny coming out saying that I’m bullying him and all this sanctimonious nonsense, when the record shows precisely who was out of order and who was misbehaving,” he said.

Mr Cowen also insisted that he did not make threats to the opposition on Wednesday when he said: “If you keep that tactic up I’ll make sure you won’t be heard in the house.”

Yesterday he said: “I simply made the point that that’s not the way that we should conduct our business. And we could all start playing that game and turn it into a circus. And I don’t think that the way the nation want us to do the business in the parliament.

“I was just throwing back the jibe that, you know, we can all start this craic.”

Mr Cowen’s use of the terms “those f**kers” came after Labour Leader, Eamon Gilmore, raised the problem of consumers being ripped off by British retailers.

Mr Gilmore said: “The interesting part wasn’t the use of the F-word at all. It was in response to questions I was asking him about rising prices, and I understand that he said to Mary Coughlan you better get a handle of it.

“That shows to me that she didn’t have a handle on it, he didn’t have a handle on it. They’re in government for eight years and prices are rising,” said Mr Gilmore.

He said: “British retailers are offering one price in their UK branches and much higher prices in their Irish branches. It should not be permitted, the National Consumer Agency should make that very clear.”