"I believe it is the best method to get the buy-in for the road we have to travel. I believe it is a problem-solving process about how we collectively come forward with a strategy to deal with the issue."
Brian Bernard Cowen is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in several ministerial roles between 1992 and 2011, including as Minister for Finance from 2004 to 2008 and Tánaiste from 2007 to 2008.
"Hopefully that will be seen as a response, a leadership responding to an issue and therefore ones authority, while its not as high if you didnt have the problem, it does mean that people say well he used his authority to come up with a solution in double-quick time that met with broader public acceptance."
"That deterioration, if you like, has to be addressed in the context of the Government being prepared to look at further programmes to see what way we can ensure that going into next year, as challenging as it may be, to see in what way we can seek to help stabilise the finances further."
"There were a couple of occasions when it was passed around – and, unlike President Clinton, I did inhale!."
"However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the fundamentals of the economy are still good."
"We need to get a handle on this, will you ring those fuckers."
"Yeah, well, theres a mirror in the toilet if you want to go in there and talk to them."