Tánaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan insisted today the Taoiseach has the “full confidence” of the Cabinet and Fianna Fáil parliamentary party despite the controversy over his radio interview.
Mr Cowen apologised yesterday for the Morning Ireland performance that embarrassed his Government and generated widespread negative international commentary.
He went on television last night to say there had been no intention on his part to show disrespect to the country or the people of Ireland. “It wasn’t my best performance and I would like to apologise for that,” said Mr Cowen.
Ms Coughlan said today the party was now “moving on” and preparing for the Budget.
“The parliamentary party is fully behind the Taoiseach and we’re moving on from the matter that did occur,” the Minister said.
However, she declined to comment on reports of undercurrents of discontent on the Fianna Fáil backbenches and within the grassroots organisation.
“I’m being quite categorical in what I’m saying. The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party is behind the Taoiseach, as are all his colleagues who are ministers. And there should be nothing taken from that except what I’ve said.”
Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin said earlier she believed the Taoiseach's apology for his poor radio interview marks the end of the controversy.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin this morning, Ms Hanafin acknowledged that the controversy had been damaging. “There’s no doubt it was a blow and there's no doubt that yesterday people felt hurt and sore by it and the public reaction was coming through to all of us as public representatives,” she said. “But the way that the Taoiseach handled it yesterday evening, I believe, did bring it to a conclusion.
“He acknowledged the reaction and how it had spun out over the two days and he certainly came to terms with it himself and I believe genuinely that's the end of the matter now," she said.
Minister for Enterprise Batt O'Keeffe said Mr Cowen had been “quite upset” by the controversy surrounding his interview. “He felt that if in any way he denigrated the office of the Taoiseach that it would be appropriate for him to make that apology. I think that was an extremely manly thing for him to do,” he said. “I think it was a fulsome apology. I think, significantly, that the mistake would not occur again.”
Mr O’Keeffe said the Taoiseach was disappointed that the media focus on the interview had taken from the good work done at the conference on jobs, the economy and the banking sector.
Minister of State for Mental Health John Moloney also defended the Taoiseach, saying he should be allowed to relax once in a while and the controversy had been “blown out of proportion”.
“Brian Cowen has worked a very tough two years. Monday night in Galway was the first occasion he had the opportunity to relax - I say relax and there’s nothing wrong with that - with his parliamentary party colleagues and the guests who were there,” he said.
“I think the link that is being made to maybe alcohol, I don’t buy that for one second. I think he is a very able leader, most competent but most unfortunate, I have to say, in the attention the media bring to his leadership even down to watching his off moments. I think it is most unfair.”
Mr Moloney accepted his view of the incident may have been coloured by the fact he and his father were close friends of the Taoiseach.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said at his party's think-in in Roscommon that he believed the events surrounding the Taoiseach’s interview had increased the likelihood of an early dissolution of the Dáil. “People want the Government out of office and what we’re seeing over the last couple of days is clearly that Fianna Fáil TDs, particularly backbenchers, are getting that message,” he said.
In his apology, the Taoiseach admitted his Morning Ireland interview on Tuesday was below par, but blamed his performance on the "hoarseness" of his voice, rather than being "drunk or hung-over", as suggested on Twitter by Fine Gael's Simon Coveney shortly after the broadcast.
“I just want to make it very clear there was no basis for the assertions that were made by political opponents about it,” Mr Cowen added.
Mr Cowen said people should not take any suggestion of disrespect or casualness on his part: “I’ve always taken my role seriously and ensure that I perform my public duties properly.”
He hoped the controversy would not damage his standing. “I would recognise that there are times when if something doesn’t go well that you have to acknowledge and be truthful about it. But, as I say, the assertions that were made subsequent to it were without justification, were without foundation, were not correct, were not true. And I would hate to think that the reputation of the country, or the office of Taoiseach would in any way be affected by what I had to say.”
Mr Cowen said he had told his Cabinet colleagues he was sorry there had been adverse publicity. “I’ll certainly make sure that something like that wouldn’t happen again.” He maintained his position was not under threat.
Mr Coveney said last night he accepted what the Taoiseach said. “It takes a big person to apologise in the circumstances that the Taoiseach finds himself in and I totally accept what he has to say. Fair play to him.”
Mr Coveney said his comments on Twitter on Tuesday reflected what a lot of people were thinking. “I do accept what the Taoiseach is now saying in clarifying the position that he wasn’t drunk or hung-over. If he says that I believe him.”
Speaking in Brussels last night Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said: “If Brian Cowen says that he is sorry or whatever, what he should be saying is that he is sorry for his conduct as leader of a Government that has failed utterly to live up to its responsibilities.”
Before the apology, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin accepted the episode had been damaging for the country: “We clearly have to learn lessons from the entire event and now move on.”