Ireland General Discussion

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Interesting news. Did Ahern resign because he felt his time was up or did it have to do with the Mahon Tribunal?

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Cowen Set to be Nominated Wednesday

By Andras Gergely

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Deputies of Ireland's governing Fianna Fail party are expected to select Finance Minister Brian Cowen next Wednesday to succeed Prime Minister Bertie Ahern when he steps down in May.

Cowen has long been seen as the most likely next leader of the party that has governed Ireland for 11 years, and on Thursday received the backing of his fellow Fianna Fail cabinet members, including those seen as potential candidates.

Cowen, 48, is regarded a safe pair of hands to guide the economy through a period of sharply slowing growth after a decade of spectacular development, and ministers said they trust him to represent Ireland on the international stage.

Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said he would not run for the job and would support Cowen, a former foreign minister himself, though he thought it unfair that Bertie Ahern had named Cowen as his preferred successor.

"I don't often criticise the Taoiseach (prime minister) but I do believe it shouldn't be for an outgoing Taoiseach to in effect put his hand on somebody," Dermot Ahern said.

If elected by fellow deputies, Cowen's most pressing task will be to secure a "yes" vote in a referendum expected on June 12, when Irish voters will determine the fate of the European Union's reform treaty.

EU Affairs Minister Dick Roche also pointed to Cowen's experience in running EU summits and his role in the Northern Ireland peace process, seen as Ahern's most lasting legacy.

Continued

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I was going to ask how the Irishmen on the Forum would you rate Cowen as Prime Minister thus far. But then again he has only been in office for a couple of days now, so what's the point? But none-the-less, what do you think of Cowen?

May I ask what exactly is the Lisbon Treaty?