FG TD attacks Cowen family on Facebook
In bizarre post, Farrell blames the political dynasty for economic crash
FINE GAEL’S Alan Farrell defended a controversial social media post last night that criticised the family tradition of Fianna Fáil’s environment spokesman Barry Cowen.
The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael confidence and supply agreement is already in crisis over water charges and this intervention is unlikely to assist in a deal being successfully brokered.
The Facebook post claimed that Mr Cowen, his brother, former taoiseach Brian Cowen, and his late father, former TD Ber Cowen, were all responsible for populist policies that had ruined Ireland’s economy since 1977.
Mr Farrell wrote on Facebook that Ber Cowen was elected when Fianna Fáil won a ‘landslide victory on a populist economic programme’ that was ‘largely based on the abolition of household rates which included payment for water. These policies led
‘Flip-flopped from one position to another’
directly to the recessionary period our country experienced in the 1980s’.
He said Brian Cowen ‘continued to pursue populist policies’ as finance minister and accused him of ‘stoking the housing bubble which crashed our economy. As taoiseach, he signed up to water charges in an attempt to help correct his own mess’, he added.
On Barry Cowen, Mr Farrell said: ‘He has led Fianna Fáil’s policy on water and has flip-flopped from one position to another – always for populist political reasons. Again the best interests of our country have been held to ransom and have come second to the best interests of Fianna Fáil.’
The comments were accompanied by an image of Barry Cowen and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin mocked up as characters in the 1980s film Back To The Future. The bizarre post has landed Mr Farrell in hot water at the end of a week full of controversy, with thousands of people taking to the streets of Dublin on Saturday for an antiwater charges protest.
His post was condemned by FG Chief Whip Regina Doherty and members of the Fianna Fáil front bench – with Barry Cowen himself calling the remarks ‘unbelievable’ on the social media site. His comment was later hidden. Talking later to the Irish Mail on Sunday, he said it didn’t warrant comment.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, Ms Doherty criticised Mr Farrell’s outburst and said she would talk to him about it.
‘I didn’t see it until you put it in front of me. I thought it might have been a joke or somebody else.
‘When you have to revert to being personal I think you’ve lost the argument. It’s a pity.
‘My role is not about what TDs do or don’t do on their Facebook page but I wouldn’t be happy about it. I’ll talk to him later on,’ she said.
Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan also criticised the TD: ‘Alan, this is appallingly bad judgment on your part and should be removed. It’s hardly likely to help calm things down and achieve a resolution to the current standoff. You can’t even spell the family surname.’
Mr Farrell had spelled Cowen with an ‘a’ rather than an ‘e’.
The controversial social media post remained online last night, with Mr Farrell steadfastly refusing to apologise.
He said: ‘It is what it is. It speaks for itself. Is it inaccurate? That’s the only point of concern for me.’