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Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen (born January 1960) is a senior Irish politician. He was first elected in 1984 as a Fianna Fáil TD and has retained his seat ever since. Cowen has served as Minister for Labour (1992-1993), Minister for Energy (1993), Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications (1993-1994) and Minister for Health & Children (1997-2000). Since 2000 he has served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Brian Cowen was born in January 1960 in Tullamore, County Offaly. He is the son of Ber Cowen, a former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator. Cowen was educated at Ard Scoil Naomh Chiaráin, Mount St. Joseph's College and University College Dublin where he studied law. He qualified as a solicitor from the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, Dublin. Cowen was elected to Dáil Éireann in the Laois-Offaly by-election in 1984, caused by the death of his father. He was also elected to Offaly County Council in the same year, serving until 1992.

In [[1991] he alligned himself to the Country & Western gang which tried to bring Albert Reynolds to power. Reynolds succeeded on his second attempt when Charles Haughey retired as Taoiseach in 1992. As a result Cowen was rewarded for his support by being appointed Minister for Labour. The following year a new Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition came to power. Cowen became Minister for Energy and later Minister for Transport, Energy & Communications.

In 1994 Reynolds resigned, Fianna Fáil were out of power and Bertie Ahern became the new leader. Cowen was appointed Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture and later Oppsition Spokesman on Health. When Fianna Fáil returned to power in 1997 Cowen became Minister for Health & Children. Having received what many describe as the most thankless portfolio in the Cabinet Cowen was relieved to be promoted to Minister for Foreign Affairs in January 2000. Having dealth with a prolonged nurses strike Cowen himself described his period in Health as like being in Angola. Brian Cowen's tenure as Foreign Minister has seen extensive negotiations continue regarding the Northern Ireland peace process and various other international activities. In 2004 he played a large role during Ireland's Presidency of the European Council.

In 2003 Cowen was the victim of a bizarre personal attack by the leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party Ian Paisley, an outspoken critic of the Republic of Ireland and its government. In front of a crowd of party supporters and in the presence of television cameras and radio reporters, Paisley launched into a diatribe about Cowen's personal appearance (making reference to Cowen's mother as well), much to the obvious embarrassment of his more moderate supporters and to the discomfort of his senior party colleagues. "Biffo" Cowen did not rise to the bait, however, and the entire episode has served to heighten the gulf between Paisley and more balanced voices within Northern Irish unionism.

On September 29, 2004 Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will announce his new Cabinet. It is widely anticipated that Brian Cowen will leave the Foreign Affairs portfolio and succeed Charlie McCreevy as Minister for Finance. Both Brian Cowen and the Irish Health Minister, Micheál Martin, are seen as the two possible contenders to succeed Bertie Ahern as leader of Fianna Fáil. Cowen is seen as the heir-apparent and as Bertie Ahern's preferred successor. This was evident in his appointement as Deputy-Leader of Fianna Fáil in 2002. However, Cowen is reluctant to comment on his political ambition and has stated that he is satisfied serving in the Cabinet at the moment.

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