I have huge regrets..now I can have a positive impact in Europe
Barry speaks of drink-driving controversy & voting for Greens
FIANNA Fail’s Barry Cowen has admitted “not a day goes by” where he does not think of the drink-driving controversy that saw him sacked as Agriculture Minister.
However, he told the Irish Mirror he stands by his decision not to succumb to requisitions from then-taoiseach Micheal Martin to make a Dail statement on the issue.
He said in an interview with this newspaper in his belief people should not vote for the Green Party in the upcoming election and “if you’re voting for me, you’re not voting for the Greens”.
The politician also revealed what his brother, former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, said to him when he told him he was running for Europe.
Mr Cowen, TD for Laois-offaly, is contesting the European elections in the Midlands-north-west constituency on June 7. However, he admits he could be in a very different position today if he had not been sacked as Agriculture Minister in July 2020.
He refused to go to the Dail to make a second public statement about a drink-driving ban he received in 2016.
The Taoiseach told the Dail in a latenight sitting he had fired Mr Cowen.
Four years on, he is steadfast in his decision not to make a Dail statement when Mr Martin asked him to but admits the controversy did affect him.
Mr Cowen told the Irish Mirror: “I have huge regrets about what happened.
“It was a huge disappointment and had a huge impact on me personally and career-wise.
“I wasn’t the victim, I played my part in that event.
There is not a day goes by I don’t think about it.
“I won’t be defined by it. I do get to represent my electorate. I pick myself up to do that.
“This opportunity has presented itself now.
“I can have a positive impact in my constituency, this wider constituency by addressing those three issues, maybe even a greater impact there than I might have had at home.” Mr Cowen is contesting the election promising to prioritise agriculture and sustainable food production, energy security and tax and innovation in Europe.
He has also been vocal on immigration during the campaign and said that topic is one of the most spoken-about issues
when he is knocking on doors. Initially, one in six people were raising immigration. Now, he says, it is coming up in every second case.
He added: “I greatly disagree and abhor illegal immigration, as the public does, as they’re making clear to us.
“The difficulty we have is that there’s existing legislation and provisions that could address this that are not.
“I have to say to people, despite the best intentions and innate decency that’s in Irish people and the Irish government, there’s been a systemic failure on the part of [the Department of] Justice and [the Department of] Integration to manage this effectively.
“People are trying to enter into a conversation, I can see that hesitancy to discuss it.
“Many have said, ‘At the risk of being called a racist, I want to raise genuine concerns about illegal immigration’.”
Mr Cowen said the Garda National Immigration Bureau needed to be
I was surprised.. it has the potential to spread the vote thinly BARRY COWEN ABOUT FF ADDING TO PARTY TICKET
“detecting illegal immigration” as he raised concerns about the strength of the force around the border.
He also called for the number of countries on the safe list to be extended and for the Government to expedite legislation to designate the UK as a safe country.
Mr Cowen also said one of the other issues being raised is housing.
He added his biggest issue with housing is the planning system.
He said the Planning and Development Bill working its way through the Oireachtas does not go far enough because there “isn’t agreement between our party and others in government”.
He later clarified that he meant the Green Party.
Asked if he thinks Eamon Ryan’s party is holding Fianna Fail back, he stated they would have been unable to form a government without them but that Fianna Fail had to make concessions in many areas during Government formation talks.
He said this includes spending on road infrastructure with a 2:1 split in favour of public transport. Mr Cowen said he thought this would be for projects decided following the formation of the Government.
Mr Cowen added: “This fella [Minister Ryan] got into power and has held up and has shelved some processes that were halfway there.
“I don’t take too kindly to that but I have to live with it. I’ll be making the point and I do make the point when I’m out there seeking votes for myself, people talk about, ‘Well what about the Greens?’
“Well don’t vote for them if you don’t want them to have the influence that they have.
“They don’t have exclusive rights to issues of such significance and importance. We can provide for those as well.”
Asked if he was actively telling people not to vote for Green Party candidates, Mr Cowen said: “I’m saying vote for me and my party. If you’re voting for me, you’re not voting for the Greens.’’
Fianna Fail made the decision to run three candidates in the vast constituency of Midlands-north-west.
Mr Cowen won the selection convention voted upon by members. But party head
quarters decided to add Senators Lisa Chambers and Niall Blaney to the ticket. Mr Cowen admitted to the Irish Mirror he was “annoyed” by the deci- sion.
He has described himself as the party’s “lead candidate”. He said: “I fought a convention. I travelled the country, the constituency, to meet the members, to impress upon the members the credibility and the potential of my candidacy. I was delighted to win their favour, to be the chosen candidate from their perspec- tive.
“I had thought maybe one would be added. I was surprised,tosaythe least... I do think
it has the potential to spread the vote thinly. I was certainly taken aback.
“Yes, [I was] annoyed. But [I had to be] a realist at the same time. I wasn’t going to change the decision.
“There’s provisions within the rules of the organisation for the constituency committee to make a decision.
“In their wisdom or otherwise, they made that decision.
“It’s time to get on with it.”
His brother Brian suffered a stroke in 2019 and Mr Cowen said he is “very well”, “in good form” and his “mind and his head” are in “good shape”.
What does he think of his European race? Mr Cowen added: “He merely asked me, ‘Have you thought logically about your decision? It’s reactionary, it’s not opportunism? Do you see merit in your decision? Can you deliver based on your commitments to run?
“‘If you satisfy all those criteria, go for it’.”
There is not a day goes by I don’t think about it. I won’t be defined by it BARRY COWEN ON ROW OVER HIS DRINK-DRIVING