Cowen and the party he personifies

I AGREE with Harry McGee that Finance Minister Brian Cowen personifies the heart and soul of his party and what it stands for (Irish Examiner, September 29).

That is exactly the problem with Fianna Fáil. Here we have the anointed one standing by a cock-and-bull story (to quote Eamon Gilmore) regarding the Taoiseach’s tribunal evidence.

We had Bertie Ahern signing blank cheques for the Boss, castigating the opposition for bringing down an honourable man in Ray Burke, for whom he climbed every tree and failed to find the slightest trace of wrongdoing and, in more recent times, inviting Beverley Flynn back into the fold with the promise of a ministry, etc, etc.

We also had the spectacle of Ministers like O’Dea and Ó Cuiv castigating bodies like Aer Lingus and the HSE, which their party set up. What next, the Justice Minister having a go at the gardaí or the Education Minister fulminating against teachers. They want to be in government and opposition at same time. One would expect more from Mr Cowen, but he is being true to the form of his party.

The Finance Minister is being groomed for greatness by certain elements in the media after his anointing by the Taoiseach.

What next can we expect?

Brendan Cafferty

Creggs Rd

Ballina

Mayo