BRIAN COWEN - Our Best Ever Taoiseach?

Is BRIAN COWEN our best ever Taoiseach? Well I'm not sure yet, but I'm not sure that he's that unpopular either. He has had responsibility for other roles in government such as: Health, Foreign Affairs , and latterly, Finance. Alongside that breadth of experience he is one of the most popular TD's in the country, he regularly tops the poll in his constituency of Laois/Offaly and his party colleagues make much of his sense of humour - something that I, and I suspect others outside the political arena, was not aware of.

Public life in Ireland has been hit, in 2008, with the death of such talented people as NUALA O'FAOLAIN and RONNIE DREW and we are the poorer for their passing. Another outstanding individual who died recently was SEAMUS BRENNAN, a tireless servant to the Irish people and a well loved politician. I thought that the immediate response of BRIAN COWEN was dignified and showed that he was human and not an unemotional politician. It was at this point in his premiership that I realised that here was someone not immune to expressing his true feelings, there was no apparent reticence displayed. Other Taosigh, most notably CHARLES J HAUGHEY, wouldn't have been as honest as COWEN and our current leader is not afraid to tell it as it is. Its his style.

Since the end of the AHERN era, the 'SUNDAY INDEPENDENT' has been in a miserable huff. Mr COWEN hasn't been clasped to the metaphorical bosom of the weekly newspaper. Frequently he's the target of criticism over the handling of the economy and other issues. A lot of that criticism may be well founded, however I get the distinct feeling that AENGUS FANNING, EOGHAN HARRIS and others at the paper are distraught at AHERN's departure from office. The 'Bass' swilling gentleman from north Dublin has been replaced by the tough-talking man from Co. Offaly. Mr COWEN is not thought of as being good copy on a Sunday. Maybe a rival newspaper will be more sympathetic.

EOGHAN HARRIS says that BERTIE AHERN brought a tear to his eyes when the former Taoiseach addressed the gathered parliamentarians at Westminster a couple of years ago. Well I have never felt emotional at anything uttered by Ahern. He doesn't like to ruffle feathers - unlike Mr COWEN, who is more frank in his assessments of the problems facing the country. He doesn't mince his words (an example was his use of an expletive in the Dáil shortly after becoming Taoiseach). Unlike HARRIS I prefer BRIAN COWEN to BERTIE AHERN precisely because he genuinely gives a damn about the issues he has to work on. He's not afraid to walk on some egg shells to do his duty. With BERTIE you liked him, but what did he believe in?

With the current economic crisis BRIAN COWEN will have his hands full. Can he bring us through the turbulence successfully? Well we may find out in due course. I have confidence that 'Biffo' will do his best to take the state out of recession. He may appear arrogant to some but at least he has the robust political attitude which his predecessor was bereft of. Many may feel he isn't up to the job but I would caution against such analysis. He doesn't need motivatoion as a leader, even if he, at times, makes EAMONN GILMORE (Labour leader) look like BILL CLINTON.

I for one respect Mr COWEN and have a strong belief in his sincerity. Now BRIAN, if you could only wear some less ill-fitting suits..........