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112-606: The Taoiseach ( / ˈ t iː ʃ ə x / ) is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland . The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas , Ireland's national legislature) and the office-holder must retain the support of a majority in the Dáil to remain in office. The Irish word taoiseach means "chief" or "leader", and
224-474: A motion of no confidence against Cowen on 9 June. He survived the vote by a margin of 85–79. Support for the government continued to fall: on 3 September 2009, an Irish Times /TNS mrbi poll, opinion poll reported that Cowen's satisfaction rating had dropped six points to 15 per cent, with 77 per cent of voters saying they were dissatisfied with the way he was doing his job. Cowen's government's third budget within 14 months, delivered on 9 December 2009, saw
336-691: A barman in his father's pub when he was growing up. He has two brothers, Christopher and Barry . Barry Cowen is a TD for Laois–Offaly since 2011. Cowen was educated at Clara National School, Árd Scoil Naomh Chiaráin, in Clara and the Cistercian College of Mount St. Joseph in Roscrea , County Tipperary . He was twelve years old when he entered Mount St. Joseph College, as a boarder. After secondary school, he attended University College Dublin where he studied law. He subsequently qualified as
448-499: A broader sense, a head of government can be used loosely when referring to various comparable positions under a dominant head of state (especially is the case of ancient or feudal eras, so the term "head of government", in this case, could be considered a contradiction in terms). In this case, the prime minister serves at the pleasure of the monarch and holds no more power than the monarch allows. Some such titles are diwan, mahamantri , pradhan , wasir or vizier . However, just because
560-423: A constitution. In presidential republics or in absolute monarchies , the head of state is also usually the head of government. The relationship between that leader and the government, however, can vary greatly, ranging from separation of powers to autocracy , according to the constitution (or other basic laws) of the particular state. In semi-presidential systems , the head of government may answer to both
672-618: A damaging blow to his own side when, on 12 May 2008, he admitted in a radio interview that he had not read the Treaty of Lisbon in its entirety. The treaty was eventually approved by Irish voters when the successful Twenty-eighth Amendment of the constitution was approved in the second Lisbon referendum, held in October 2009. Cowen delivered the Irish government budget for 2009 on 14 October 2008, brought forward from its usual December date due to
784-494: A director of the Central Bank and currently managing director of a consultancy company Indecon. Brian Cowen has claimed that the meeting was a social event, while Gray has stated that he was invited to provide economic advice on stimulating the economy. Tánaiste Mary Coughlan , described the purpose of the meeting as a fundraiser for Fianna Fáil . Cowen subsequently threatened to sue Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, if he repeated
896-470: A dissolution, this effectively forces the Taoiseach to resign. To date, no President has ever refused a dissolution, although the option to exercise this prerogative arose in 1944 and 1994, and twice in 1982. The Taoiseach may lose the support of Dáil Éireann by the passage of a vote of no confidence , or implicitly, through the failure of a vote of confidence. Alternatively, the Dáil may refuse supply . In
1008-400: A failed attempt at a cabinet reshuffle, and facing growing political pressure, Cowen resigned as Leader of Fianna Fáil, but remained as Taoiseach until after the general election held the following month where Cowen left politics and officially resigned as Taoiseach and left office a fortnight later. The Sunday Times described Cowen's tenure as Taoiseach as "a dismal failure". In 2011,
1120-569: A fellow minister on his own authority. Instead, the Executive Council had to be disbanded and reformed entirely to remove a member. The President of the Executive Council also did not have the right to advise the Governor-General to dissolve Dáil Éireann on his own authority, that power belonging collectively to the Executive Council. In contrast, the Taoiseach created in 1937 possesses a much more powerful role. The holder of
1232-412: A general election. Before the enactment of the 1937 Constitution , the head of government was the President of the Executive Council . This office was held by W. T. Cosgrave of Cumann na nGaedheal from 1922 to 1932, and by Éamon de Valera of Fianna Fáil from 1932 to 1937. By convention, Taoisigh are numbered to include Cosgrave; therefore, Micheál Martin is considered the 15th Taoiseach, not
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#17327718950381344-554: A government with the Labour Party . A deal was reached between the two parties, and Cowen was again appointed Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications . In that role, he implemented the controversial decision to relax the so-called stopover at Shannon Airport , which allowed limited direct trans-Atlantic flights from Dublin Airport . The decision proved divisive and saw one Fianna Fáil TD, Síle de Valera , resign from
1456-422: A head of government is Prime Minister . This is used as a formal title in many states, but may also be an informal generic term to refer to whichever office is considered the principal minister under an otherwise styled head of state , as minister — Latin for servants or subordinates—is a common title for members of a government (but many other titles are in use, e.g. chancellor and secretary of state). Formally
1568-415: A litre of diesel (5 cents); a new " asset management agency " established to remove bad loans from Irish banks; the gradual elimination of early childcare supplement by 2010, to be replaced by a subsidy towards pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds; and no further increases in social welfare for at least two years. Cowen defended the emergency measures as necessary. National and international press reactions to
1680-562: A location for funding of banking operations," said Cowen. He previously said that the Government's objective in restructuring the banks through NAMA was to "generate more access to credit for Irish business at this critical time". In September 2009, the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan , expressed a similar view, saying it would lead to more lending for business and households. Cowen was responding to reports published on 8 February, that
1792-570: A lot of money in the dance hall business in the 1960s). Reynolds became leader on his second attempt when Haughey was forced to retire as Taoiseach in 1992. Reynolds appointed Cowen, aged 32, to his first cabinet position as Minister for Labour . In spite of being a member of the cabinet, Cowen was openly hostile toward the PDs. This was evident at the Fianna Fáil party's Ardfheis in March 1992. In
1904-415: A motion of confidence in his leadership at Fianna Fáil's parliamentary party meeting on 18 January 2011, to be decided by secret ballot. Foreign Minister Micheál Martin , publicly announced that he would vote against the motion, effectively presenting himself as a challenger to Cowen's leadership. On the evening of 18 January 2011, Government Chief Whip John Curran , announced that Cowen had prevailed in
2016-548: A national humiliation, and by some as a betrayal of the long-fought struggle for Irish independence whose legacy forms a major part of the Irish identity. The Irish Times editorialized: whether this is what the men of 1916 died for: a bailout from the German chancellor with a few shillings of sympathy from the British chancellor on the side. There is the shame of it all. Having obtained our political independence from Britain to be
2128-513: A number of TDs who were vehemently opposed to the move. Two years later in November 1991, the then Minister for Finance, Albert Reynolds , challenged Charles Haughey , for the leadership of the party. Cowen firmly aligned himself behind Reynolds and quickly became associated with the party's so-called "Country and Western" wing (Reynolds's supporters earned this nickname due to the fact that the vast majority were rural TDs and that Reynolds had made
2240-504: A number of ministerial roles between 1992 and 2011, including as Minister for Finance from 2004 to 2008 and Tánaiste from 2007 to 2008. Cowen was elected leader of Fianna Fáil in May 2008 , upon the resignation of Bertie Ahern , and was nominated by Dáil Éireann to replace him as Taoiseach. Weeks after taking office, his administration faced the Irish financial and banking crises . He received substantial criticism for his failure to stem
2352-539: A perceived weakness in his Government. On 6 December 2008, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland ordered the recall, withdrawal and destruction of all Irish pork products dating back to 1 September, due to the discovery of toxic levels of dioxin in a small percentage of the pig stock. Cowen additionally approved a five-day withdrawal of Irish pork from the market. Within days thousands of jobs were either lost or under threat at pig processing plants across
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#17327718950382464-410: A president, chancellor, or prime minister, and the relationship between that position and other state institutions, such as the relation between the head of state and of the legislature, varies greatly among sovereign states, depending largely on the particular system of the government that has been chosen, won, or evolved over time. In most parliamentary systems , including constitutional monarchies ,
2576-610: A prolonged nurses' strike in 1999. In a cabinet reshuffle following the retirement of David Andrews in January 2000, Cowen was appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs . His tenure saw extensive negotiations continue regarding the Northern Ireland peace process and other international activities, particularly when Ireland gained a place on the United Nations Security Council . In 2003, he
2688-794: A property tax to cool the property boom. Responding to the Taoiseach's defence of his actions as minister for finance, the Leader of the Opposition Enda Kenny accused him of "washing his hands" of his role in Ireland's economic crisis. Speaking during a front bench meeting in Cork, Kenny also claimed Fianna Fáil was spreading fear by considering cuts to the old age pension. "Sorry is a word that Fianna Fáil do not recognise, they don't understand," Kenny told party colleagues. Kenny said Taoiseach Cowen, in defending his own personal handling of events,
2800-660: A secret confidence motion the week before, Cowen announced he was stepping down as leader, in advance of the 2011 election , in order to put the party in "the best possible position". Upon appointment, Cowen formed the 28th government of Ireland , a coalition between Fianna Fáil, the Greens and the PDs, which initially had the support of three independent TDs . His choices of Mary Coughlan for Tánaiste and Brian Lenihan Jnr as Minister for Finance were criticised as inappropriate by The Irish Times for their "distressing" lack of experience. The Irish electorate's rejection of
2912-629: A solicitor from the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland , Dublin . He is a member of the Gaelic Athletic Association and continues to serve as president of Clara GAA club, for whom he played in the early 1980s. He also played with the Offaly Gaelic football team at this time, having previously played with their minor and under-21 teams. Cowen likes to socialise with his constituents in some of
3024-588: A three per cent limit and maintain a debt-to-GDP ratio below 60 per cent. On 31 October 2008, the European Commission opened an excessive deficit procedure against the Government of Ireland , for allowing its budget deficit to exceed the required EU deficit-to-GDP ratio of 3 per cent. The Irish deficit was expected to be 5.5 percent in 2008, and 6.5 percent in 2009. This response forced reversals of proposed changes in several areas, contributing to
3136-472: A whole lot in it really." Cowen is married to Mary Molloy and they have two daughters. In 2017, Cowen was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the National University of Ireland . Cowen was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1984 Laois–Offaly by-election , caused by the death of his father Bernard Cowen . At the time Cowen, at the age of 24, became the youngest member of
3248-545: A word like "Taoiseach" in the English language. It would be pronounced wrongly by 99 percent of the people. I have already ascertained it is a very difficult word to pronounce correctly. That being so, even for the sake of the dignity of the Irish language, it would be more sensible that when speaking English we should be allowed to refer to the gentleman in question as the Prime Minister... It is just one more example of
3360-470: Is ' chieftain ' or ' leader ' . Although Éamon de Valera , who introduced the title in 1937, was a democratic politician who had in the past associated with paramilitaries , some have remarked that the meaning ' leader ' in 1937 made the title similar to the titles of fascist dictators of the time, such as Führer (for Adolf Hitler ), Duce (for Benito Mussolini ) and Caudillo (for Francisco Franco ). Tánaiste , in turn, refers to
3472-758: Is alleged that the increased personalisation of leadership in a number of states has led to heads of government becoming themselves "semi-presidential" figures, due in part to media coverage of politics that focuses on the leader and his or her mandate, rather than on parliament; and to the increasing centralisation of power in the hands of the head of government. Such allegations have been made against three former British Prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher , Tony Blair , and Boris Johnson . They were also made against Italian prime ministers Silvio Berlusconi and Matteo Renzi , Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau and Federal Chancellor of West Germany (later all of Germany), Helmut Kohl , when in power. The head of government
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3584-499: Is hypothesised that both derive ultimately from the proto-Celtic * towissākos 'chieftain, leader'. The plural of taoiseach is taoisigh ( Northern and Western Irish: [ˈt̪ˠiːʃiː] , Southern: [ˈt̪ˠiːʃɪɟ] ). Although the Irish form An Taoiseach is sometimes used in English instead of 'the Taoiseach', the English version of the Constitution states that they "shall be called …
3696-466: Is often provided with an official residence , often in the same fashion as heads of state often are. The name of the residence is often used as a metonym or alternative title for 'the government' when the office is politically the highest, e.g. in the UK "Downing Street announced today…" Well-known official residences of heads of government include: Similarly, heads of government of federal entities below
3808-596: Is responsible for appointing eleven members of the sixty members of the Seanad . The Department of the Taoiseach is the government department which supports and advises the Taoiseach in carrying out their various duties. The Taoiseach is assisted by one or more Ministers of State at the Department of the Taoiseach , one of whom is the Government Chief Whip . Since 2013, the Taoiseach's annual salary
3920-507: Is €185,350. It was cut from €214,187 to €200,000 when Enda Kenny took office, before being cut further to €185,350 under the Haddington Road Agreement in 2013. A proposed increase of €38,000 in 2007 was deferred when Brian Cowen became Taoiseach and in October 2008, the government announced a 10% salary cut for all ministers, including the Taoiseach. However this was a voluntary cut and the salaries remained nominally
4032-688: The Irish Independent called Cowen the "worst Taoiseach in the history of the State". Brian Cowen was born to a Catholic family, in Tullamore , County Offaly , on 10 January 1960. He was raised in Clara by his parents, May and Bernard Cowen , a Fianna Fáil TD and Senator . The family owned a public house , butcher shop and undertaking business in Clara, beside the family home. His father also worked as an auctioneer. Cowen often worked as
4144-975: The BBC , social welfare cuts had not been implemented by the country since 1924. The cuts prompted at least one angry outburst in Dáil Éireann . In February 2010, Cowen defended his claim that the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) would increase the supply of credit into the economy despite the International Monetary Fund (IMF), saying it would not lead to any significant increase. "People should contemplate what level of credit accessibility we'd have in this economy without NAMA," he said. "It's not just sufficient in itself obviously for credit flow, it's certainly an important and necessary part of restructuring our banking system, of that there's no doubt, in terms of improving as
4256-813: The European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM), €22.5 billion from the IMF, €22.5 billion from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and bilateral loans from the United Kingdom , Denmark and Sweden . The remaining €17.5 billion will come from a state contribution from the National Pension Reserve Fund ( NPRF ) and other domestic cash resources. The bailout was widely seen in Ireland as
4368-698: The General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party ( top leader in a one-party system) has always held this office since 1993 except for the months of transition . In directorial systems , the executive responsibilities of the head of government are spread among a group of people. A prominent example is the Swiss Federal Council , where each member of the council heads a department and also votes on proposals relating to all departments. The most common title for
4480-688: The Phoenix Park would become the official residence of the Taoiseach. However, no official statements were made nor any action taken. The house, which forms part of the Farmleigh estate acquired by the State in 1999 for €29.2 million, was renovated at a cost of nearly €600,000 in 2005 by the Office of Public Works . Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern did not use it as a residence, but his successor Brian Cowen used it occasionally, as did later Taoisigh Enda Kenny and Leo Varadkar, who each paid €50 per night for
4592-463: The global financial crisis . The budget, labelled "the toughest in many years", included a number of controversial measures, such as a proposed income levy and the withdrawal of previously promised HPV vaccines for schoolgirls. Other results of the budget included a new income levy being imposed on all workers above a specified threshold and the closure of a number of military barracks near the border with Northern Ireland . A public outcry arose over
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4704-522: The value added tax while maintaining the state's low corporate tax rate. In recognition of the political disaster this would inflict on his government, Cowen indicated that the election would take place in early 2011 after the 2011 budgetary process has been completed, though at the time he would not set a specific date. It was revealed following the publication of the book, The Fitzpatrick Tapes by Tom Lyons and Brian Carey, that two previously undisclosed meetings had occurred between Seán FitzPatrick ,
4816-581: The "IMF (Mr. Seelig) do not believe that Nama will result in significant increase in bank lending in Ireland". The Government has maintained that NAMA's purchase of bad loans from the banks with State bonds would increase the flow of credit in the economy since the plan was unveiled in April 2009. Speaking at the publication of the NAMA legislation in September 2009, Mr. Lenihan said it would "strengthen and improve"
4928-476: The 14th. Biographies are also available of de Valera, Lemass, Lynch, Cosgrave, FitzGerald, Haughey, Reynolds and Ahern. FitzGerald wrote an autobiography, while an authorised biography was produced of de Valera. Some biographies and memoirs of former Taoisigh and presidents of the Executive Council: Head of government In the executive branch, the head of government is
5040-479: The 24th Dáil . He was also elected to Offaly County Council in the same year, taking over the seat vacated by his late father. He served on that authority until 1992. Cowen remained on the backbenches of Fianna Fáil for the next seven years. Following the 1989 general election when Fianna Fáil formed a coalition government, with the Progressive Democrats , for the first time, Cowen was one of
5152-519: The Chairman of Anglo Irish Bank , and Brian Cowen. The first was a telephone call in March 2008, while Cowen was overseas in Vietnam and when Cowen was then Minister of Finance. The second meeting took place on 28 July 2008, at Druids Glen , County Wicklow . At that time Anglo Irish Bank was badly affected by the downturn in the property market. On 28 September 2008, the Irish government made
5264-475: The European Union expanded from 15 to 25 member states. Following the departure of Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy , upon his nomination as Ireland's European Commissioner in September 2004, Cowen was appointed as Minister for Finance . On 1 December 2004, he announced his first budget, one that was viewed as a give-away budget in which spending was increased by 9%. Cowen's second budget in 2005
5376-666: The Executive Council of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State . The positions of Taoiseach and President of the Executive Council differed in certain fundamental respects. Under the Constitution of the Irish Free State , the latter was vested with considerably less power and was largely just the chairman of the cabinet, the Executive Council . For example, the President of the Executive Council could not dismiss
5488-517: The IMF had told Brian Lenihan in April 2009, that the NAMA would not lead to a significant increase in lending by the banks. The comments, which appear in internal Department of Finance documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, were made by senior IMF official, Steven Seelig, who was to join the board of NAMA in May 2010. Minutes of a private meeting at the department between Brian Lenihan and IMF officials on 29 April 2009, state that
5600-476: The Irish government's majority of twelve by one quarter. Finian McGrath , an Independent TD , who agreed to support the government after the 2007 election, also withdrew his support from the government. A senior political source said: "The Budget was an accident waiting to happen." Under the European Union stability and growth pact, EU states are required to keep their budget deficit-to-GDP ratio below
5712-426: The President on 8 April 2024; he was succeeded by Simon Harris the next day after his Dáil election and appointment, becoming the youngest officeholder in state history. Under the Constitution of Ireland , the Taoiseach is nominated by a simple majority of the voting members of Dáil Éireann . They are then formally appointed to office by the President, who is required to appoint whomever the Dáil designates, without
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#17327718950385824-414: The Taoiseach in major decisions, and in many cases often merely formalises that decision at a subsequent meeting after it has already been announced. Nevertheless, the need for collective decision-making on paper acts as a safeguard against an unwise decision made by the Taoiseach. Generally, where there have been multi-party or coalition governments, the Taoiseach has been the leader of the largest party in
5936-429: The Taoiseach". In 1937 when the draft Constitution of Ireland was being debated in the Dáil , Frank MacDermot , an opposition politician, moved an amendment to substitute "Prime Minister" for the proposed "Taoiseach" title in the English text of the Constitution. It was proposed to keep the "Taoiseach" title in the Irish language text. The proponent remarked: It seems to me to be mere make-believe to try to incorporate
6048-640: The accusation outside the Dáil. Ó Caoláin responded by repeating the accusation in public and inviting Cowen to take him to court. In the stir created by the revelations of Cowen's meetings with Fitzpatrick, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore , announced his plan to table a third motion of no confidence in Cowen's government. At the time, however, Cowen's more immediate concern was pressure from within his own party to step down as leader of Fianna Fáil. Cowen announced on 16 January 2011, that he would not resign as party leader of his own accord; however, he would put down
6160-418: The advice of the cabinet. In Ireland, however, executive power is explicitly vested in the Government, of which the Taoiseach is the leader. Since the Taoiseach is the head of government, and may remove ministers at will, many of the powers specified, in law or the constitution, to be exercised by the government as a collective body, are in reality at the will of the Taoiseach. The Government almost always backs
6272-466: The allotted time considerably, Cowen denied that Anglo Irish Bank had been discussed. However, when questioned by the Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (who had been attending a wedding at the hotel and by chance had encountered Cowen and Fitzpatrick), Cowen was forced to admit that there were two other people at the meeting, Gary McGann , a director of Anglo Irish Bank and Alan Gray,
6384-489: The arrival of the Taoiseach at state ceremonies. Though the salute is often called " Amhrán Dóchais ", Brian Ó Cuív argued " Mór Chluana " is the correct title. The words Taoiseach and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) are both from the Irish language and of ancient origin. Though the Taoiseach is described in the Constitution of Ireland as "the head of the Government or Prime Minister", its literal translation
6496-417: The basis of the strength of party support in the lower house; in some other states, the head of government is directly elected by parliament. Many parliamentary systems require ministers to serve in parliament, while others ban ministers from sitting in parliament (they must resign on becoming ministers). Heads of government are typically removed from power in a parliamentary system by Constitutions differ in
6608-403: The best thing the Taoiseach could do was to hold the three pending by-elections or a general election, so the people could have their say. On 15 June 2010, Cowen faced his second no-confidence motion in just over a year, tabled by Fine Gael after the publication of two reports that criticised government policies in the run-up to Ireland's banking crisis. He again survived the motion, 82–77. On
6720-399: The biggest spending sprees in the history of the state. The €3.7 billion package included increases in pension and social welfare allowances, a marked green agenda, as well as a reduction in the top rate of income tax from 42% to 41%. Cowen has been criticised for alleged complacency during the economic turmoil in January 2008. During his ministerial career, Cowen was often identified in
6832-522: The budget were largely favourable, with the economics editor of the BBC reporting that there were lessons for the United Kingdom to learn from this emergency procedure and the European Commission hailing the budget as a form of "decisive action". However, it did little to revive the political fortunes of Cowen's government. After Fianna Fáil performed badly in the elections of 5 June 2009, losing half its European Parliament seats, Fine Gael tabled
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#17327718950386944-719: The coalition with Fianna Fáil and took part in a new coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left , consigning Fianna Fáil to the opposition. Cowen was appointed to the front bench , first as Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and Forestry (1994), and later as Spokesperson on Health (1997). When Fianna Fáil returned to government following the 1997 general election , Cowen was appointed as Minister for Health and Children . He described his period there as like being in Angola because administrative "landmines" could detonate without warning. During his tenure, he had to deal with problems of bed shortages and overcrowding in hospitals, as well as
7056-414: The coalition. One exception to this was John A. Costello , who was not the leader of his party, but an agreed choice to head the government, because the other parties refused to accept then Fine Gael leader Richard Mulcahy as Taoiseach. In 2011 Taoiseach Brian Cowen, resigned as party leader and was succeeded by Micheál Martin , but continued as Taoiseach until the formation of a new government following
7168-409: The collegial Government , whose members are all appointed and dismissed at the Prime Minister's sole discretion. Under the unwritten British constitution , the prime minister 's role has evolved, based often on the individual's personal appeal and strength of character, as contrasted between, for example, Winston Churchill as against Clement Attlee , Margaret Thatcher as against John Major . It
7280-603: The country, as processors refused to resume slaughter of pigs until they received financial compensation; the crisis ultimately cost taxpayers approximately €180 million. Cowen's government received heavy criticism for overreaction in its handling of the incident, with Leader of the Opposition Enda Kenny calling the government's response as "an unmitigated disaster". The heavy exposure of Anglo Irish Bank to property lending, with most of its loan book being to builders and property developers, meant that it
7392-521: The decision to introduce a bank guarantee to cover Anglo Irish Bank, Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland . Seán FitzPatrick was forced to resign in January 2009, over the Anglo Irish Bank hidden loans controversy . The meeting, over a seven-hour period, took place over a round of golf and a subsequent dinner with Fitzpatrick and two other directors of Anglo Irish Bank. During a heated Leader's Question session in Dáil Éireann, which ran over
7504-444: The evening of 21 November 2010, Cowen confirmed that Ireland had formally requested financial support from the European Union 's European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after long resisting pressure from other eurozone nations, particularly France and Germany . On 28 November 2010, the European Commission agreed to an €85 billion rescue deal of which €22.5 billion from
7616-425: The event of the Taoiseach's resignation, they continue to exercise the duties and functions of office until the appointment of a successor. The Taoiseach nominates the remaining members of the Government , who are then, with the consent of the Dáil, appointed by the President. The Taoiseach may advise the President to dismiss cabinet ministers from office; which the President does not have discretion on. The Taoiseach
7728-438: The funding positions of the banks "so that they can lend to viable businesses and households". The IMF estimated in their published report that domestic banks would face losses of up to €35 billion, though the department pointed out this would be partly funded from operating profits and provisions already taken against some loan losses. Speaking on RTÉ on 15 May 2010, Cowen said that, in hindsight, he should have introduced
7840-456: The government and provides (e.g. by turns) the ceremonial Head of state. The only state in which this system is currently employed is Switzerland but other countries such as Uruguay have employed it in the past . This system is described as the directorial system . See Head of state for further explanation of these cases. In parliamentary systems, government functions along the following lines: All of these requirements directly impact
7952-439: The government facing the reality of the country nearly becoming insolvent. The 2010 Budget was described by commentators in Ireland and around the world in unusually harsh terms as €4 billion was removed from the country's national deficit; The Irish Times labelled it "the most austere Budget in the history of the State". It was characterised by pay cuts for public sector workers and cuts in social welfare . According to
8064-429: The head of government is the de facto political leader of the government, and is answerable to at least one chamber of the legislature. Although there is often a formal reporting relationship to a head of state , the latter usually acts as a figurehead who may take the role of chief executive on limited occasions, either when receiving constitutional advice from the head of government or under specific provisions in
8176-453: The head of government's role. Consequently, they often play a 'day to day' role in parliament, answering questions and defending the government on the 'floor of the House', while in semi-presidential systems they may not be required to play as much of a role in the functioning of parliament. In many countries, the head of government is commissioned by the head of state to form a government, on
8288-493: The head of state and the legislature with the specifics provided by each country's constitution. A modern example is the present French government, which originated as the French Fifth Republic in 1958. In France, the president , the head of state, appoints the prime minister , who is the head of government. However, the president must choose someone who can act effectively as an executive, but who also enjoys
8400-477: The head of state can also be the head of government as well ( ex officio or by ad hoc cumulation, such as a ruling monarch exercising all powers himself) but otherwise has formal precedence over the head of government and other ministers, whether he is their actual political superior (ruling monarch, executive president) or rather theoretical or ceremonial in character (constitutional monarch, non-executive president). Various constitutions use different titles, and even
8512-411: The head of state is a figurehead whilst the head of the government leads the ruling party. In some cases a head of government may even pass on the title in hereditary fashion. Such titles include the following: In some models the head of state and head of government are one and the same. These include: An alternative formula is a single chief political body (e.g., presidium ) which collectively leads
8624-434: The head of state is the de jure dominant position does not mean that he/she will not always be the de facto political leader. A skilled head of government like 19th-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck , Minister President of Prussia and later Chancellor of Germany under Emperor / King Wilhelm I , serves as an example showing that possession of formal powers does not equal political influence. In some cases,
8736-445: The head of state, such as a governor-general , may well be housed in a grander, palace-type residence. However, this is not the case when both positions are combined into one: Brian Cowen Brian Bernard Cowen (born 10 January 1960) is an Irish former politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 2008 to 2011. Cowen served as a TD for the constituency of Laois–Offaly from 1984 to 2011 and served in
8848-399: The highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state , a federated state , or a self-governing colony , autonomous region , or other government who often presides over a cabinet , a group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments. In diplomacy , "head of government" is differentiated from " head of state ". The authority of a head of government, such as
8960-426: The level of the sovereign state (often without an actual head of state, at least under international law) may also be given an official residence, sometimes used as an opportunity to display aspirations of statehood: Usually, the residence of the heads of government is not as prestigious and grand as that of the head of state, even if the head of state only performs ceremonial duties. Even the formal representative of
9072-525: The local pubs in his native Offaly. In May 2003, he took part in a charity CD project organised by The Brewery Tap pub in Tullamore . The CD featured 28 songs, including Cowen singing the Phil Coulter song, " The Town I Loved So Well ". In May 2007, Cowen told Jason O'Toole of Hot Press that, as a student: "I would say there were a couple of occasions when marijuana was passed around – and, unlike President Clinton , I did inhale. There wasn't
9184-651: The masters of our own affairs, we have now surrendered our sovereignty to the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. On 24 November 2010, Cowen unveiled a four-year plan to stabilise the economy by 2014. The plan was met with great protest as it included deeply unpopular elements, including drastic cuts in social welfare, the lowering of the minimum wage, and an increase in
9296-562: The media as the front-runner to succeed Ahern as leader of Fianna Fáil. Cowen's position was strengthened when he succeeded Mary O'Rourke as deputy leader of the party in 2002. In 2004, he was appointed Minister for Finance. Following the 2007 general election , Cowen became Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) in a coalition between Fianna Fáil, the PDs, and the Green Party . On 4 April 2008, two days after Ahern announced his intention to resign as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil, Cowen
9408-442: The option of declining to make the appointment. For this reason, the Taoiseach may, informally, be said to have been "elected" by Dáil Éireann. If the Taoiseach loses the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann, they are not automatically removed from office. Instead, they are compelled either to resign or to persuade the President to dissolve the Dáil and call new elections. If the President "in his absolute discretion" refuses to grant
9520-546: The party in protest. In October 1994, it was revealed that Cowen had 1,000 shares in Arcon, a company to which he was in the process of awarding a mining licence. He quickly sold the shares and apologised in the Dáil for causing himself and his colleagues "some embarrassment". Later in 1994, Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil. Bertie Ahern became the new leader , and initially appeared set to replace Reynolds as Taoiseach. However, Labour chose to end
9632-489: The patronage of the Church. Rebellion within the ranks of the government led to a number of defections of disenchanted coalition members. County Wicklow TD Joe Behan , resigned from the Fianna Fáil party in protests at the proposed medical card changes. He, alongside two other government deputies, later voted against his former colleagues in two crucial Dáil votes on medical cards and cancer vaccines. These defections reduced
9744-448: The position can both advise the President to dismiss ministers and dissolve Parliament on his own authority—advice that the President is almost always required to follow by convention. His role is greatly enhanced because, under the Constitution, he is both de jure and de facto chief executive. In most other parliamentary democracies, the head of state is at least the nominal chief executive, while being bound by convention to act on
9856-476: The practical reality for the Prime Minister of Belgium and the Prime Minister of Finland . Other states however, make their head of government a central and dominant figure within the cabinet system; Ireland's Taoiseach , for example, alone can decide when to seek a parliamentary dissolution, in contrast to other countries where this is a cabinet decision, with the Prime Minister just one member voting on
9968-530: The prime minister, along with the cabinet, controls domestic policy, with the president's influence largely restricted to foreign affairs. In communist states , the General Secretary of the Communist Party is the supreme leader, serving as de facto head of state and government. In China , the de jure head of government is the Premier . The Chinese president is legally a ceremonial office , but
10080-406: The proposed amendment and felt the word "Taoiseach" did not need to be changed. The proposed amendment was defeated on a vote and "Taoiseach" was included as the title ultimately adopted by plebiscite of the people . The modern position of Taoiseach was established by the 1937 Constitution of Ireland and is the most powerful role in Irish politics. The office replaced the position of President of
10192-547: The proposed withdrawal of medical cards and the reinstatement of university fees. A series of demonstrations ensued amongst teachers and farmers, whilst on 22 October 2008, at least 25,000 pensioners and students descended in solidarity on government buildings at Leinster House , Kildare Street , Dublin and outside the Department of the Taoiseach in Merrion Street . Some of the pensioners were even seen to cheer on
10304-407: The range and scope of powers granted to the head of government. Some older constitutions; for example, Australia's 1900 text , and Belgium's 1830 text ; do not mention their prime ministerial offices at all, the offices became a de facto political reality without a formal constitutional status. Some constitutions make a Prime Minister primus inter pares ( first among equals ) and that remains
10416-487: The ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon on 12 June 2008, was viewed by some media and political observers as a protest against Cowen and his government. The Irish Independent called the failed referendum's aftermath the government's "biggest political crisis in decades". Columnist Brendan O'Connor called the outcome "a humiliating failure for Cowen and the people who put him there". The Taoiseach himself arguably dealt
10528-494: The same as "the Taoiseach". The incumbent Taoiseach is Simon Harris , TD , leader of Fine Gael , who took office on 9 April 2024 following the resignation of Leo Varadkar and under a planned rotation as part of the coalition agreement between Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael , and the Green Party . Varadkar held the post from December 2022 and Micheál Martin , TD held the post from June 2020 until December 2022 as part of that agreement. Varadkar tendered his resignation as Taoiseach to
10640-406: The same title can have various multiple meanings, depending on the constitutional order and political system of the state in question. In addition to prime minister, titles used for the democratic model, where there is an elected legislative body checking the head of government, include the following. Some of these titles relate to governments below the national level (e.g. states or provinces). In
10752-499: The same with both ministers and Taoiseach essentially refusing 10% of their salary. This caused controversy in December 2009 when a salary cut of 20% was based on the higher figure before the refused amount was deducted. The Taoiseach is also allowed an additional €118,981 in annual expenses. There is no official residence of the Taoiseach. In 2008, it was reported speculatively that the former Steward's Lodge at Farmleigh adjoining
10864-455: The sort of things that are being done here as if for the purpose of putting off the people in the North . No useful purpose of any kind can be served by compelling us, when speaking English, to refer to An Taoiseach rather than to the Prime Minister. The President of the Executive Council, Éamon de Valera, gave the term's meaning as "chieftain" or "Captain". He said he was "not disposed" to support
10976-528: The students as the protests passed each other on the streets of Dublin. Changes to education led to a ministerial meeting with three Church of Ireland bishops over what was viewed as a disproportionate level of cuts to be suffered by Protestant Secondary schools. Separately representatives of the Roman Catholic Church were assured by O'Keeffe that it would continue to be able to provide religious instruction to pupils in primary schools not under
11088-500: The suggestion. In Israel , while the Government is nominally a collegiate body with a primus inter pares role for the Prime Minister , the Israeli Prime Minister is the dominant figure in the executive branch in practice. The Prime Minister of Sweden , under the 1974 Instrument of Government , is a constitutional office with all key executive powers either directly at his or her disposal or indirectly through
11200-636: The support of France's legislature, the National Assembly , to be able to pass legislation. In some cases, the head of state may represent one political party but the majority in the National Assembly is of a different party. Given that the majority party has greater control over state funding and primary legislation , the president is in effect forced to choose a prime minister from the opposition party to ensure an effective, functioning legislature. In this case, known as cohabitation ,
11312-460: The system of tanistry , the Gaelic system of succession whereby a leader would appoint an heir apparent while still living. In Scottish Gaelic , tòiseach translates as ' clan chief' and both words originally had similar meanings in the Gaelic languages of Scotland and Ireland. The related Welsh language word tywysog (current meaning: 'prince') has a similar origin and meaning. It
11424-572: The tide of either crisis, ultimately culminating in the Irish Government's formal request for financial aid from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund , which was widely regarded in Ireland as a national humiliation. His leadership subsequently saw public support for Fianna Fáil plunge to record lows, and Cowen set a record for the lowest approval rating in the history of Irish opinion polling, at one point reaching an approval rating of 8 per cent. In January 2011, following
11536-406: The use of the house to avoid benefit-in-kind tax being levied on them for use of the house as a grace and favour mansion. " Mór Chluana " ("More of Cloyne ") is a traditional air collected by Patrick Weston Joyce in 1873. "Amhrán Dóchais" ("Song of Hope") is a poem written by Osborn Bergin in 1913. John A. Costello chose the air as his musical salute . The salute is played by army bands on
11648-486: The warm-up speech before the leader's address, Cowen remarked, "What about the PDs? When in doubt, leave them out." He fought with the PDs, being furious at their interference with Fianna Fáil's view that, as majority partner, they should have wielded the power. The 1992 general election produced a hung Dáil and resulted in negotiations between all the main parties. Cowen, along with Noel Dempsey and Bertie Ahern , negotiated on behalf of Fianna Fáil in an attempt to form
11760-422: Was adopted in the 1937 Constitution of Ireland as the title of the "head of the Government or Prime Minister". It is the official title of the head of government in both English and Irish, and is not used for the prime ministers of other countries, who are instead referred to in Irish by the generic term príomh-aire . The phrase an Taoiseach is sometimes used in an otherwise English-language context, and means
11872-461: Was badly affected by the downturn in the Irish property market in 2008. On 15 January 2009, after attempting to salvage the Bank by injecting €1.5bn into its coffers, the Government announced that it would take steps that would enable the Bank to be taken into State ownership. The Anglo Irish Bank Corporation Act, 2009 provided for the transfer of all the shares of the Bank to the Minister for Finance and
11984-406: Was dominated by a new childcare package, and measures to take 'tax-free millionaires' back into the tax net from 2007 by restricting tax breaks. A readjustment of income-tax measures was designed to take 52,000 low earners out of the tax net and remove 90,000 middle earners from the higher tax band. Cowen's third budget in 2007, in anticipation of the 2007 general election , was regarded as one of
12096-404: Was enacted under Irish law on 21 January 2009. On the same date, the Bank was re-registered as a private limited company. Observers at the time commented that the government had been slow to respond to the collapse of the Bank, with The Sunday Times stating that "Nationalisation was good enough for other European governments, but Brian Cowen's administration avoided the inevitable until its back
12208-490: Was nominated by Brian Lenihan and Mary Coughlan to be his successor. The following day he was confirmed as the sole nominee for the position. He was acclaimed as the seventh leader of Fianna Fáil on 9 April 2008, and assumed office upon Ahern's resignation becoming effective on 6 May 2008. On 7 May 2008, Cowen was nominated by Dáil Éireann as Taoiseach, by 88 votes to 76, and was appointed by President of Ireland Mary McAleese . On 22 January 2011, despite winning
12320-417: Was refusing to acknowledge that he drove the economy "up on the rocks" for four years when he was Minister for Finance. "He expects everybody else to accept responsibility for it but not him. It's another example of hands being washed by those in charge, a refusal to accept responsibility for their part in destroying the Irish economy and heaping economic woes . . . upon so many people." The Fine Gael leader said
12432-484: Was the subject of a personal attack by the leader of Northern Ireland 's Democratic Unionist Party , Ian Paisley . In front of a crowd of party supporters and the presence of television cameras and radio reporters, Paisley uttered a diatribe about Cowen's personal appearance and also insulted his mother. In 2004, Cowen played a key role during Ireland 's Presidency of the European Council , during which and
12544-412: Was to the wall. Too frequently, it is seen to be reacting to events, not controlling them." In a second emergency budget , delivered in April 2009, a fiscal deficit of 10.75 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) was addressed. The budget's initiatives included a doubling of the previous year's income levy to 2%, 4% and 6%; increases on the excise duties on a regular packet of cigarettes (25 cents) and
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