Who Spilled? [Updated]

at

Tonight.

Meath Fianna Fáil activist Ken McFadden alleges dirty tricks from Meath Fianna Fáil TD and new Minister of State for European Affairs. Thomas Byrne (top) , who has yet to respond.

UPDATE:

Hardcore.

Thursday morning update here.

Earlier….

Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen addressed the Dail last night on the issue of his drink driving charge from 2016

This morning.

Via The Offaly Express:

Cllr Eamon Dooley, who was sitting on [Offaly County] council when Barry Cowen was first co-opted to the local authority to replace his brother Brian in 1992, said he had a “fair idea” who informed the Irish Independent about the incident.

He could not confirm that it was a senior member of the Fianna Fail party but said it came “from someone who had a grudge against” the Offaly TD.

I’d say he was Fianna Fail alright but I wouldn’t say he was a TD. I’d say he was never an elected member of anything. That’s only my opinion, for what it’s worth.”

Cllr Dooley expects the controversy to die down, even though “some fellows” keep seeking new ways to maintain it….

“It’ll eventually run out of steam. If every fellow who was appointed held up his hand and said ‘I had two pints and I drove home’, I’d say we’d have very few ministers.”

Fianna Fail member with ‘grudge’ blamed for Barry Cowen leak (Offally Express)

Barry Cowen apologises in Dáil for drink driving incident that was a ‘stupid, stupid mistake’ (Independent.ie)

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

Meanwhile…

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms Martin, who is also Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sports and the Gaeltacht, said he has shown remorse after making a “serious mistake”.

However, Ms Martin said that the one issue that was not addressed was why Mr Cowen was driving on a provisional licence and she said he may have to reach out to road safety campaigners and explain that himself.

Taoiseach accepts Cowen’s remorse ‘is genuine (RTÉ)

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57 thoughts on “Who Spilled? [Updated]

      1. goldenbrown

        well as an uncle to a 22 y/o woman who will never walk again thanks to someone like Mr Cowen you could maybe see how I might feel that this is far from being a “nothing story”

        1. ReproBertie

          Man was caught drink driving and served his punishment which was determined by the level of alcohol in his system. It’s a nothing story.

          1. Rob_G

            There seems to be an awful lot of file footage of him driving into the Dáil; it does not look like he is accompanied in a lot of it.

          2. Daisy Chainsaw

            I wonder if any of the driving footage covers the period September to December 2016?

  1. Barry the Hatchet

    “If every fellow who was appointed held up his hand and said ‘I had two pints and I drove home’, I’d say we’d have very few ministers.”

    God that’s a depressing indictment of a generation.

  2. frank

    Perhaps someone should have a closer look at the appointments Brian Cowen made before he left office.
    His own secretary got a plum job with the RSA. Just sayin

  3. ReproBertie

    “I’d say he was Fianna Fail alright but I wouldn’t say he was a TD. I’d say he was never an elected member of anything. That’s only my opinion, for what it’s worth.”

    This is speculation and nothing more. If that’s the level we’ve dropped to I can ask my neighbour who she thinks might have leaked it and you can make that a story too.

    1. GiggidyGoo

      Agreed.

      It’s also a low level if this is all the press has to report on (as to ‘someone’ asking ‘who’ spilled the beans)

      1. GiggidyGoo

        Yep. FF are self-imploding at this stage. They aren’t a fully functioning party and there are factions being formed within. It all began of course way back with the confidence and supply agreement and the howling of ‘Brexit’ by Michilín at every opportunity as an excuse for his support of FG. The chickens have come home to roost now.

        1. ReproBertie

          Another crack worth watching is the border poll business. Mícheál side stepped it yesterday but Jim O’Callaghan seems to think it’s a big deal and needs addressing. Could just be a move to entice SF’s support of course.

  4. Dr.Fart

    gettin down to the real issue. who told the public about the politicians misdeeds. god i hate this lot. dooley is as backward as they come.

  5. Vanessanelle

    It is a nothing story

    The FFer leaking it is a better one IMO anyway
    Probably more important, and the public should know who the tell-taleling supergrass is, because he does have access to the Cabinet

    Its in everyone’s interest to know who they can trust with matters under Cabinet Eyes only

    Just a reminder – Barry is Minister for Ag
    the Farmers, the Ploughing, the Dairies and Processors, the EU etcs, the FIA and all associated with and holding an interest in that brief, couldn’t give a shy..

  6. Kate

    BrIan new motto is “Have one for the road? It’s now NONE for the road!”. That’s a positive message surely!

  7. Andrew

    Why is it a ‘nothing story’/ Why are our standards so low? Elsewhere he’d have resigned. Do we really think Barry is so indispensable that he can’t possibly resign such would the loss be to cabinet and the nation. Just put some other gombeen in there instead
    He has no qualifications to speak off espite his private school education.
    See Sweden for an example of how this is dealt with:
    Sweden’s youngest ever government minister, Aida Hadzialic, has resigned after being caught driving over the alcoholic limit. ”

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37069609

      1. Zaccone

        Because by drunk driving on a motorway he committed a serious crime that put people’s lives at risk, showing terrible judgment?

        Because he spent years flouting the law driving on a learner permit, showing it wasn’t just a once off mistake?

        Because he showed terrible life competency by staying on a learners permit for years, at massive cost to himself?

        There are plenty of TDs who could do his job who haven’t shown these glaring personality flaws. Its a national ministerial position, its a position of serious responsibility where decisions made can change the lives of millions of people. We’re meant to have the country’s best and brightest in these positions, not just “ah shure he’ll do”.

        1. ReproBertie

          He was caught and served a sentence which was based on the level of alcohol in his system.

          That would be the end of it for anyone else and should be the end of it here.

          1. Rob_G

            Michael Lowry has was convicted and duly paid all of the charges and penalties accrued, but would you be happy with him being asked to serve as a minister in government?

          2. Rob_G

            Yes – a lot more serious, as Michael Lowry’s crimes and misdemeanours, while a disgrace to the institution of the Dáil, wouldn’t kill anyone, whereas Cowen very well could have.

          3. Zaccone

            When you’re serving as a minister in cabinet you’re held to a higher standard than “anyone else”. And rightly so.

            There are more than enough other candidates for the job who’re at least as qualified, who don’t have these glaring personality/judgement/decision making flaws.

          4. ReproBertie

            He did not commit the crime while serving as a minister. Had he been minister when he committed the crime then I would wholeheartedly back the calls for his resignation. The sentence under the law was a 3 month driving ban. Are you really saying that a man who had a 3 month driving ban is never to be considered for high office?

          5. ReproBertie

            Are we now to start punishing people for things that might have happened Rob?

          6. Praetorian.

            Hey…Bertie…ya clown.
            Cowen was bagged at the lower level of the scale…that level also applies to professional drivers,ie,Bus,Coach & Truck drivers….if they get stopped & bagged over the lower limit they get sacked…loose their job.
            Cowen is no differant….as a matter of fact he’s in a high public office…he should be made an example of.
            …and you’re no better supporting him.

          7. ReproBertie

            I was unaware that TD is a job that requires having a driving licence, clown.

            Me thinking a story is a load of nothing is not the same as me supporting the person in the story, clown,

          8. Rob_G

            Bertie – a rural TD will require a lot of driving.

            Here is one of many photos of Barry Cowen merrily driving around unaccompanied – https://images.app.goo.gl/adTAFDDm8D1QVXmn7

            The fact that he continued driving unqualified, putting people at risk, after getting a driving ban is a valid reason to question his fitness for ministerial office, IMO.

          9. ReproBertie

            That’s a different, though related, issue Rob.

            We don’t know when he got his licence but we know he never received penalty points for driving unaccompanied.

          10. Termagant

            We pay this man a lot of money to be a legislator. We’re entitled to expect a higher standard than “in the eyes of the law he has served his time for the crimes he’s been caught committing”.

    1. ReproBertie

      That Swedish minister was caught while she was a minister.

      Barry Cowen was caught 4 years ago and served his sentence.

      1. george

        Did he though? His transport expense claims showed no difference and continued to be the maximum amount possible and not a penny less. though that’s probably a different story.

        I wonder do any journalists have photos or video that show the carpark or politicians leaving Leinster house at that time.

        1. ReproBertie

          His travel expenses would have been the same anyway. He still had to go to work.

          1. George

            Does it cost €7000 to go to work for 3 months?

            The train from offaly would only cost you a few hundred. He’s swimming in gravy.

            Personally I suspect his travel expenses didn’t change because I suspect he kept driving but I’d love to see what he put down for his travel and how he explains it.

          2. Cian

            A TDs work includes attending to constituancy issues. I.e. travel throughout the county on top of going to the Dáil.

          3. ReproBertie

            This is FF George. Do you really think there’ll be an expenses claim that isn’t for the maximum amount?

  8. Steph Pinker

    While the thicks plotten, FG must be lovin’ it – that’s the sad aspect of this; it’s not like the people of Ireland are important – after all, we voted for them didn’t we?

    Welcome to Irish polithicks, folks!

  9. dav

    I can see why the shinners dropped it – because one of their own did the same, but all the shills here looking to protect a drunken cowen, there must be more cases like this out there among the gov parties, methinks.

  10. GiggidyGoo

    As predicted, Michilín is doing a fantastic job of destroying the Fianna Fáil party. A severe case of Necrotizing Fascitis has started, thanks to Michilín’s lust for a title. Popcorn suppliers the first to emerge from the Covid 19 unscathed.

  11. Podger

    Barry should just resign and give Micheal a chance at the top job oh and repay any mileage expenses he mistakenly got during his ‘off the road’ ban.

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