Taoiseach admits mistakes but denies blame for downturn

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen admitted to making mistakes yesterday, but insisted nobody could have expected him to see the global economic downturn coming.

Pressed on the issue at a press conference in Dublin to launch Fianna Fáil’s local election manifesto, Mr Cowen again refused to apologise but said he took full responsibility for all his decisions.

Asked why he was finding “sorry” the hardest word to say, Mr Cowen responded: “Because the economy hasn’t crashed.”