Cowen: Worst political year of my life

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has admitted 2009 will go down as his political annus horribilis and warned the country is only “in the middle” of a painful adjustment process necessary for economic recovery.

But he defended the steps the Government has taken to date, such as the bank bailout and devastating budgets, saying they began the task of “getting Ireland back into the game”.

He confirmed that Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will this week sign the commencement order for NAMA, the state agency that will relieve the banks of their higher risk loans.