Cowen under fire for 'no plan B' comments

A government junior minister has slammed the former Taoiseach Brian Cowen for saying nobody had raised fears of an economic collapse.

Public transport minister Alan Kelly was responding to a TG4 interview where Mr Cowen said there had been no 'Plan B' for the economy.

"Well, the truth is that we didn't believe it. We thought the economy would have a soft landing, that economic growth would continue and we could pay for it through the growth that was to come," Mr Cowen is quoted as saying.

Public transport minister Alan Kelly said the former Taoiseach's comments raise more questions than they answer.

I find the comments really unbelievable. This is a man who was Minister for Finance for four years, then he was the Taoiseach - to say he hadn't indications, really, is unbelievable."

"It just goes to show, if he really believes that, then there was nobody, really, at the steering wheel of the government for a number of years."

Former Fianna Fáil Minister Eamon O'Cuiv said Brian Cowen's Government did not even consider having a "Plan B" in place to prevent the economic meltdown as the extent of the crisis wasn't anticipated.

"When you talk about a "plan B" - if you're talking about a very very detailed plan - I think it's fair to say there was no such plan, and no one even thought of having such a plan for the size of change that came about in the economy."

O'Cuiv also said he, and all members of Brian Cowen's administration, are sorry for the financial crisis.