Taoiseach trying to ‘whitewash the past’

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen is trying to “whitewash the past” by claiming he took actions as finance minister that lessened the effect of the economic crash.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said Mr Cowen was piling “insult on injury” by attempting to “rewrite the history” of the past decade.

In a lengthy defence of his record last week, Mr Cowen insisted said he took a number of actions as finance minister to cool the property boom, and that the subsequent crash would have been “far worse” if it hadn’t been for such decisions.