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AGRICULTURE MINISTER BARRY Cowen has said he is “embarassed” and “humiliated” over a driving ban he received for drink driving, and has described it as a “terribly stupid, stupid mistake” that he regrets.
Speaking today on RTÉ The Week in Politics, the Fianna Fáil TD said he had to accept responsibility for a “serious lapse of judgement”.
TheJournal.ie understands that Cowen, who is the Minister for Agriculture, served a three-month driving ban in 2016 after being found by gardaí to be drink-driving after attending the All-Ireland football final.
.@CowenBarry Minister for Agriculture tells #rtetwip about his driving above the alcohol limit. He says "It was a terribly stupid, stupid mistake on my part, something I am regretful for." #rtepolitics #rtenews pic.twitter.com/KrnPTBSdFp
— The Week in Politics (@rtetwip) July 5, 2020
He said today his actions were “no example” to his family and he would have to accept the ridicule that’s come his way as a result.
“If any good can come out of this… that if somebody is thinking of doing what I did, that they might think twice before doing it,” he said. “I could say I was fortunate in that there nobody hurt, injured, maimed or killed. Thankfully. That’s not to say it would be the case in any other instance of a similar nature.”
Cowen said that he wasn’t trying to keep the matter a “secret” and he had acknowledged and appreciated the severity of what happened.
Yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin appeared to accept Cowen’s apology, but said that he was “disappointed” that he had to learn about it on Friday.
“I have spoken to Minister Cowen and I accept that his remorse about this incident is genuine,” Martin said.
Cowen was named as the Minister for Agriculture and the Marine last Saturday.
Cowen, a Laois-Offaly TD, is a brother of former taoiseach Brian Cowen.
He previously held frontbench spokesperson roles on Environment and Local Government, and Social Protection.
With reporting from Dominic McGrath
He should man up and resign his position as a Minister.
@Pád: sorry St Pád
@Hurler on the ditch: What are ya sorry for?
@Hurler on the ditch: Any working class person would off been hit with a huge fine and ended up with a 2/3 year ban from driving.
This fool got off with a slap on the hand.
@Pád: how did he have tickets for an all Ireland final not involving his county is real question
@Pád: it’s “would have” not “would off”
- and btw I believe he was given the full legal treatment.
He’d had two pints a hour or two before and was just over the limit when tested – hence the 3 month driving ban and fine.
It *would have* ( <- take note Pád) been more severe if higher over limit
@Pád: Anyone in the public eye caught doing anything illegal should immediately resign their jobs, be placed in stocks in a public square and wear sackcloth and ashes for a year. Then we’ll consider accepting an apology. The fact that our criminal justice system, established by society to punish people, has already punished him is irrelevant.
@Jazz Buckler: Thanks for correcting my grammar much appreciated.
Well done! Has it made your day???
Your Obviously a FF misfit.
For the record it was a typo it happens get over it.
Take not * * are not quotation marks! But “well done”
@Pád: take not??
@Pád: You need to read up on the law bud. He was sentenced in accordance with the law but I suppose the truth kinda ruins your conspiracy theory so let’s ignore it.
@Pád: if you’re going to comment here, at least be educated on the topic. He got exactly the same as anyone else would have, in line with the legislation.
@Jazz Buckler: It’s not it’s. Then, it’s an hour not a hour. Finally, your last sentence should be – It would have been more severe if he had been higher over the limit.
@Jazz Buckler: You correct his grammar and type btw so you’ve made yourself look like a clown.
@Jazz Buckler: It’s an hour or two not a hour.
@Pád: he’s only sorry he was caught.
@Conall: Those days are long gone.Even the English Ministers or Secretarys of state are adopting the Irish ways now.Apologise and move on.End of story.No thought of resignation.
@Pád: they tried to destroy clare daly and she wasn’t drinking driving at all different laws for different people
@Pád: “You’re obviously”, not “Your obviously”.
@Pád: Ahh gotta think of the auld pension.
@Jazz Buckler: “ He had two pints a hour “ !!! Should be ‘an hour ‘
@Jazz Buckler: with a full licence holder accompanying him?? Every time he drove?? How does his insurance work if he didn’t have a full license holder with him??
@Jazz Buckler:
“an hour before”, not “a hour before”…. Don’t be so critical of others…
@Pád: he should have accepted it in the first place..
@Liz Luke: You forgot to use punctuation at the end of your comment. Oh how the tables have turned.
Only thing he regrets is it is now out in the open.
I thought anyone with a record could not be a TD.
@Derek Anderson: We’ve all done things we sincerely regret – doesn’t mean we volunteer the fact unless someone brings it up.
@Derek Anderson: Dessie Ellis made bombs ffs
@Derek Anderson: As I keep saying , this is a Road Traffic Offence, it is NOT a Crime.
@Conall: but we Don’t put ourselves forward for a 100k+ job in running the country. Where we lambast others who do wrong. Only last week politicians were railing about social distancing at an ira funeral. Yet I am pretty sure more people have died from drink driving than attending a funeral
@Conall: Too true, – and let the One ” without Sin ” throw the first stone. But Unfortunately, we have plenty of ” Stone Throwers ” . Most of them can see the moat in the others mans eye, but ??? …………..
@john s: A good point. However, I don’t think a single offence should mean he cannot run for public office. Again, society has already punished him in a way it has decided is adequate. As for criticising someone for doing something wrong which I have already done, if I killed someone through drink-driving, I think I’d be in a strong position to criticise anyone for ever doing it.
@Eugene Comaskey: Drink driving is a criminal offence.
@Eugene Comaskey: yes it is. All drink driving offences are crimes under S5 1a the 1988 Road Traffic Act.
@Derek Anderson: NO you are disbarred from being a TD or Senator if you are not financially soluble, btw Mr Cowan a mistake is forgetting to get something when you go shopping,you made a conscious decision to drink alcohol after driving to the event.
@Tony Doyle: Also where you are sentenced to prison for 6 months or more I believe causes a TD to lose their seat.
@Eugene Comaskey: it’s ones like you that put the wrong people in government. Didn’t take long for FF to show their true colours again.
@Eugene Comaskey: it is not a crime
@Eugene Comaskey: Funny but Martin would be first off the blocks to call for resignations if it involved any other party. Martin still has not answered how money donated to F.F. ended up in his wife’s bank account. When being interviewed on this subject the interviewer skips lightly pass the subject. The mafia must be in awe of them.
@Eugene Comaskey:
You need to read the law correctly:
it is a criminal offence to drive whilst intoxicated to the extent of not being able to control your vehicle. The current general blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for driving is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Lower levels apply to learners, recently qualified and professional drivers.
@Eugene Comaskey: yes drink driving is a criminal offence
Outside of the abhorrence of drink driving, and then doing so on a provisional license why was this not picked up by the media at the time?
Clare Daly was arrested and bought to a station for a sample (which turned out below the limit) and the media were all over it in minutes. Mick Wallace similarly by all accounts was asked by a Garda to put away his phone at traffic lights and a sitting minister blasts it all over Primetime??
I don’t condone phone use either or express fandom for either Daly or Wallace but it stinks of 1 rule for the elite and another for the rest of us. He was a senior FF front bench member at the time it’s hard to believe no media got a sniff of it
@Josephus Miller: because it was but out in in the public by the garda ,and to hurt ppf party.
@Josephus Miller: Journalism in tatters in this country. Reports either getting censored in the editorial office or plain lazy or fearful about reporting the truth
@Tony Lewis:
Always conspiracy theorists !!
@Josephus Miller: this was allowed “leak” four years later to distract from the ballooning shit storm around the new Minister for Children..
@Doug: it’s not conspiracy. A blind person can see the difference with how FF and FG are treated in the media compared to others. Please explain how Clare Daly was hauled over coals for nothing and this man gets a ban and zero is heard in the media? Grow up. Conspiracy theory my ass. Different rules for the established parties.
It wasn’t a mistake, it was a decision he made and he continues to get off lightly for it and minimise it. He should be fired, but mehole hasn’t the goolies to do that.
@Stephen Byrne: but varadkar should!
@Stephen Byrne:
It would seem that he was on a provisional licence because he lost his full licence for the exact same offence.
@Michael Clinton: he said this morning that he had no other traffic or criminal violations so that’ll be interesting if it’s true
@Liam O Connor: what are you on about?
@Stephen Byrne: Shinners I know that ye are out for revenge because your party made a fool of themselves last week but give it a rest.
@Jane: but surely he would have been done for no full licence holder with him and how does his insurance work with that another offence??
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: sounds like you have issues, poor man. Have a little lie down
@Stephen Byrne: no issues at all. But by the sounds of it your the one needing the lie down.
@Caoimhín O’Cheallacháin: muppet
@Stephen Byrne: stocks and stones. I’d say get yourself back on the menopausal meds… Sounds like life is all getting a bit too much for ya
Imagine loosing a loved one to a drink driver, voting for this fake and now discover this. People who voted for him should have known all the facts. If it were a SF TD the mainstream media would have been reporting from the checkpoint
@Johnnyblue: I lost my beautiful son to a drunk driver .He was only 24 yrs old. My heart is shattered.
Sure he is, more like sorry it got out into the media, and sleazy mehole had to defend me
@Michael Patrick Newell: He is offaly sorry.
Empty words without a resignation.
He made a conscious decision to endanger lives so he could enjoy a few pints and would have happily kept it private from the public and even his own party were it not for the media.
If he makes this mistake how many will he make as a minister He needs to go Hard to believe the dogs on the street did not know about this
Interesting to see how news works in this country controlled by the establishment. Clare Daly and Mick Wallace were at every opportunity exposing the corruption they saw and were informed about in NAMA and the Garda in Dáil Éireann, and instantly the media fed on leaks goes public on unproven misdemeanours involving both of these people. Then Mr Cowen who is supporting the Government is actually convicted and given a sentence and no leak or comment from anyone or no reporting.
Plenty of Fake news but no real news for the people. Journalism is in tatters in this country.
@Tony Lewis: Has been for a good few years
@Tony Lewis: have the media done any digging into the allegations by a senator of cocaine use in the dail? Or what about the FF person who returned from Brussels to vote without self isolating for 2 weeks?
How did he manage to keep his name out of the paper when joe bloggs nobody has all details spread in local press?
P
@Peter McGlynn: it’s the same mentality as a Mayo newspaper crying about Cromwell because there are no TD’s in the West. Look after our own and feck the country
He’s embarrassed he’s been caught out.. Seems he’s been driving on a learner permit for yonks too, he wasn’t too embarrassed on that. I’m baffled by some of the ministerial appointments. Think this lad got in cause he’s a bully and would have caused the most hassle for Michael, but how Donnelly got health is beyond baffling..
Michael Martin is an embarrassment. He Should replace him with dara callery. Here is another question he had a provisional licence did he have a full licence driver beside him
@john s: Dara and others were extremely pisht at the appointments to others and not them. Dot connector !?! You betcha
Whatever, Minister. You knew what you were doing. Not being moralistic here but drinking and driving is a big NO NO.
Well lads there you are, not a wet week in government and FF are back to their old bag of tricks again. Meehole would have asked EVERY would-be Minister (before) their appointment “DO YOU HAVE ANY SKELETONS IN YOUR CLOSET THAT ARE GONNA BITE YOU ON THE Arse …… TELL ME NOW ….. BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT” Only sorry that he’s been caught out. You can bet your arsenal that Meehole knew as well but thought it was contained and buried. Jobs for all the boys again ……
@Michael Fitzpatrick: ah now stop Arsenal are playing like a much improved team lately
Mr varadkar now is the time to prove yourself , if you don’t insist on him resigning, you are allowing low standards in high places, something you constantly speak out against, we await your response!
@Liam O Connor: a
@Liam O Connor: agree totally. It’s a chance to differentiate FG from FF (even if there is possibly no difference). Would be a smart political move, though maybe too early for shenanigans. Have to say FF ministers a bit of a car crash selection so far, anti-choice Minister for Education,Mental Health minister blocking dissenters in Twitter and now this. Little has changed since they were last in power. They need to be consigned to history until they evolve.
If it was Fixed penalty and 3 months off road why did it take 4 years for someone to disclose the information from the Garda Pulse system
@pat seery: also how long was he on the provisional licence for & how many times did he drive to Clara & back to Dublin on this prov licence & was he in the company of somebody with a full licence…..those in power & authority should be leading us all by example
@Tony Doyle: My point is why was it not published in the Last 4 years How many were driving on Provisional Licences up to the Time the Law changed
It would not be an overstatement to suggest that the Cowen family has a real problem with alcohol.
If Barry Cowan is the remain in the job of Minister and if he wishes to really make a difference, set an example, he should quit drinking.
If Barry was in Fine Gael Surely Leo would have it sorted for him no bother and promoted him. Regina Doherty had serious financial liabilities with the revenue and she was promoted to ministerial status, then lost her seat in the last GE and now heads Senad
Typical FF. Once again party before country as MM and his cronies gather round and defend him. Once a crooked party always a crooked party.
Well Eamon Ryan what’s the ministry of transport got to say on the matter. Your first chance to put the boot into these partners of yours
Garda vetting is needed.Every other job needs it.
WELL HE HARDLY GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE, HOW DID HE MANAGE TO KEEP IT QUIET FOR SO LONG OR NEED I ASK???????
The only thing he regrets is being caught. BIFFO
time for him to be asked to consider his position
The only regret he has is that he was caught
He lost his licence for drink driving, was driving on a provisional licence unaccompanied, he claims he had two drinks before the football match, then dinner, so approximately four hours passed. It takes one hour for a standard drink in men to be eliminated from the body. He is a liar, he has been charged with drink driving twice, how many times has he driven while over the limit & didn’t get caught. He should resign.
@Brianán McBride: I wonder at what point between Dublin and Offaly he was stopped. A regular drinker would blow almost a zero I’d guess after 2 pints, dinner and 4 hours later. Did he have a full licensed driver with him when stopped, if so was the full licensee sober?
I also wonder did MM already know on the quiet but it was made public so had to feign ignorance.
Some journalists asking Cowen and MM to clarify would be a nice instead of carefully created press releases.
Is the Dail bar now under review and can a TD on their way to or from the Dail still be exempt from Garda questions, I believe that rule was to be changed?
I’m more concerned about having a minister for agriculture who speaks up on behalf of hare coursing
The cute hoors of Fianna Fail are well and truly back
Give him a break….do you think he’s theory one…
@Jacqui Curtis-owens: seriously…!!? He committed a crime that put lives at risk. Do you really believe 2 wrongs make a right..!
Yeah it was a mistake. He broke the law. What happened to standards in office?
@Anthony Doyle: That went out the window as soon as we let convicted IRA bombers and gun runners get elected as TDs
@Sal Paradise: not to mention promotion of supporters of known paedophilia advocates to Mister for Children..
@FecklessBear: … and refuses to address legitimate questions from concerned parents and voters around this association..
Seems it didn’t impede his ability to claim maximum expenses whilst banned from driving , what a trouper.
How do you get a 3 month drunk driving ban
@lmlup: Used to get it for testing just over the limit. I think Shane Ross increased it though so not sure you can get a 3 month ban anymore.
@lmlup: yeah seems very short
if you are a public representative it is surely important to be honest regarding past difficulties? If he was working with anyone vulnerable a volunteer sports coach or such like he would have to be Garda vetted and this would come up, but as a government minister with all the responsibility of that he’s okay with keeping it secret, even from his own party leader who has placed immense trust in him by appointing him?
Time for a by election after this guy is removed.
Barely a week into the new government and we have Crocodile tears and apologies – man up and resign. End of.
For how long has he been “ embarrassed “ and “ humiliated “? Since he was caught or since it became public?
yeah his brother was equally remorseful for being a drunk Taoiseach and also bankrupting the country..just the type of people we need in govt alright.
Not to tell Martin was disgraceful. It says a lot about the character of the new Minister.
Embarrassed it’s out in the public domain. That’s the only thing he is sorry for
Had the news story not have broken and the general public not found out would he have been so apologetic or embarrassed. I doubt it. Would have mehole have found out only when the story broke don’t be so daft he knew already. One only apologises for something when one is found out or caught out.
Have some respect for your brother and step down.
Should get a bit of hash from Leo to calm down.
He should resign or be resigned. A stupid mistake isn’t good enough. He is held to a higher standard due to the position he’s in.
What!! A FF member thinking rules dont apply to them… Shick, horror
Let ye who is without sin caste the first stone
@Austin O’sullivan: we are not government ministers, I have no problem with him making a mistake, I have a problem because he was dishonest by concealing it. Time for Garda vetting to be required for TDs and other public representatives. Er have the right to k ow who is charged with the responsibility of making decisions on our behalf
He should be embarrassed for been still on a provisional licence I suppose this was a before the clancy amendment too
Seriously how is he not being fired?
When you appologise and say it was stupid mistake you only get 3 months ban??? Tought minimum was 2 years.
Why doesn’t it work with others??????
@Zane Silver: 4 years ago it was different He got a fine & 3 months ban same as anyone else at that time it was at the lower end of the scale so no court case ,
@Zane Silver:
Why do some people continue to vote for these corrupt and dreadful career politician families from whatever party. Stop letting these parasites who care nothing about you or endangering the lives of others feed from the trough.
How can anybody trust him now He is a disgrace getting behind the wheel with any alcohol taken is just wrong for anybody but a TD to do this is even worse in a way when he should be setting a example ya of what you don’t do when you have a drink Martin should relieve him of his position and show that in the year 2020 just falls well below a standard for a TD never mind a minister
Mistake? A choice was made, a decision was taken, no mistake.
Once again…embarrassed and humiliated because you were caught out!.
He took his medicine is this bloke for real.He should show leadership now and resign.
Come on, it was four years ago! Let’s get back to the real business of beating up on Sinn Féin.
Why didn’t he give his BAC reading?
exactly, he only saying sorry because he got caught out, he could have killed someone, anyone who is caught drink driving should be named straight away, instead of coming out years later
Not a terribly stupid mistake, but a decision!
Let he or she who is without sin cast the first stone.
The country is in dire straits from the consequences of the Virus , Brexit is looming, thousands unemployed and homeless and yet all that seems to be worrying people is Barry Cowans DD Ban that was dealt with 4 years ago and FF Politicians whinging because they did not get the promotion they think they were entitled to . God give me patience.
iui
He has got to go.
Why does he only receive a 3 month ban???
Imagine Pearse Doherty had done this…
It is a criminal offence to drive whilst intoxicated to the extent of not being able to control your vehicle. The current general blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for driving is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Lower levels apply to learners, recently qualified and professional drivers.
Taken from drugs.ie
He is the only person to get a drink driving ban in Ireland there is thousands like him all over the country
So anyone else who is caught will be given the same forgiveness?
Give him a break, he is hard working and has done his time ban.. Let it go.
@Ann Coen: No, he’s chosen a public life and a position where he can legislate for 4.5 million people. He’s guilty by his omissions of misleading the electorate and his party. Basically he’s yet another dishonest politician.
If I lived in Ireland and still had the right to vote, I would’ve voted SF/Left/Independents in 2020. So I am no supporter of FF or any other govt. party. However, given how widespread this behavior is in Ireland, it does not seem like it would be a fair punishment to sack this guy or demand he resign. I don’t drive but I struggle to think of a single Irish person I’ve ever been in a car with who hasn’t been guilty of this at some point in their lives. It’s all well and good calling for Cowen’s head, a lot of people would not appreciate it if they were in a prominent position in Business/Politics/Media and someone published an old almost misdemeanor-level offence from 4-5 years ago. To be honest, we all do stuff we regret, and many many drivers break the law, and compared to his brother’s behavior in office, and the various politicians and celebrities who had penalty points quashed yet leaked details about Claire Daly and others to the media(in violation of the law for political reasons) this offence was pretty minor. Luckily nobody was hurt, and you’d seriously think he’s probably never done it again since due to the knowledge that it would one day come out what he did and he would not want to be seen as an alcoholic/repeat offender in terms of dangerous driving. Some people in life learn from their mistakes, but a lot more Irish people do this their whole lives no matter how many times they are caught, fined or banned from driving. I’d be more critical of him if this wasn’t something that members of every household in the country have done at some stage in their lives. It’s not okay, but all the finger pointing on here is a bit rich.
@Aindriú Purfield: Yes Aindriú, you are correct in your assessment. However in Irish society ‘cancel culture’ is prominent and people will do anything in their power to destroy someone’s name in order to fit their political or social agenda. The people on here who are asking for resignation and further punishment are virtue signaling and taking the moral high ground while they themselves are guilty of immoral actions and some of them even unlawful actions. The only reason they get away with this is because the media haven’t published their criminal records less than benign behaviour.
And yes, yes I know, politicians should be ‘role models’ and their punishment should be greater, but he was actually punished, banned from driving and fined, not let off with a nod nod wink wink. Many many people don’t even pay the fine in such cases and violate driving bans. People just don’t want to believe that shame can mean someone is genuinely remorseful. If he was anyone else, not Barry Cowen and not a FF Minister, people would be like ‘oh well that was really stupid but you learnt your lesson, sure we’ve all done it’. There’s a certain degree of holier than thou in the rush to condemn him.
Was he accompanied as all learner drivers must be ?
If he could not pass his driving test should he be a Minister.
If he has only a Provisional does he drive to a Dáil Éireann on his own?
How often did he break the Law?
The guy has a criminal record ffs, whats more he didnt disclose it, Out Of Office Now.
have your say