THERE ARE no plans for Taoiseach Brian Cowen to make a “state of the nation” address on the economic crisis facing the country, the Government spokesman said yesterday.
Some six TDs and Senators at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting on Monday urged Mr Cowen to make a direct address to the public on how he proposes to deal with the deteriorating economic situation.
Mr Cowen gave no commitment to do so, although Government Chief Whip Pat Carey pointed out that the Taoiseach will be making a substantial contribution during the two-day debate on the economy which begins today.
According to the spokesman, the possibility has not been discussed in Government Buildings.
However, a Fianna Fáil ministerial colleague of Mr Cowen last night said it was likely that Mr Cowen would make some form of address outside the Dáil if and when the deal on the €2 billion package of cutbacks had been agreed with the social partners.
“He will pick his own time on that. If he gets this deal through, I do not think he will waste the opportunity. I think he would think long and hard about how he would do it,” said the Minister, who did not wish to be named.
Elsewhere, Minister for the Environment John Gormley said that if Mr Cowen did make a “state of the nation” address it would remind too many people of the infamous TV appearance of then taoiseach Charles Haughey in January 1980.
Mr Haughey, newly installed as taoiseach, made a direct address to the Irish people on television and said the nation collectively was living beyond its means.
However, the Fianna Fáil government failed to implement the necessary measures to curb public expenditure. It also later emerged that Mr Haughey himself had an extravagant personal lifestyle at the time.
Mr Gormley, who is also leader of the Green Party, said yesterday that he had doubts about the wisdom of such a move.
“A ‘state of the nation’ address has echoes of Charles J Haughey”, he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.
Later yesterday the Taoiseach said he would fully disclose the details of whatever agreement is reached to the Dáil.
“When the Government makes its decision in the coming days, we will report to this House the decisions we have taken. We can debate them here if we so wish,” Mr Cowen said in the Dáil.
Responding to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny during Leaders’ Questions, he added: “I have no problem with democratic accountability but as long as I am running this Government, I will run it as I see fit and as I believe, based on my philosophy.”
