Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Sunday, June 28, 2009

TDs learn not to distract revitalised Taoiseach

Happier days for an energised leader; a ‘moral’ victory and a mathematical defeat; moans and groans in corridors of power; some handy tips for George Lee; and a whirlwind tour of a legendary drinking hole
BRIAN COWEN is like a new man since he returned, flushed with success, from the European Council meeting in Brussels.
In the last week in particular, the Taoiseach has appeared more dynamic in his public and Dáil performances.
The Government has decided to adopt a more aggressive approach to dealing with the Opposition. The Taoiseach is to be more up-front and visible to voters. As the party slid to one of its worst performances ever in the recent elections, there were complaints about poor communications at leadership level and a view that the party seemed rudderless and drifting.
Recently though, Brian Cowen has appeared less swift to anger during Dáil exchanges. On Wednesday, even Opposition deputies were impressed by his passionate and articulate defence of the Lisbon Treaty.
He brought the FF parliamentary party meeting to an abrupt end on Tuesday night by barking at startled deputies that he doesn’t want them coming in week after week pestering him about various issues.
Biffo “exploded” when North Dublin’s Michael Kennedy brought up pharmacy licences during Any Other Business. He snapped that he doesn’t want to hear people coming in and raising distractions, when he has only one goal in mind and that is to get the country back on track. “And that’s that.”
Some deputies were quite impressed by this new sign of life.
Meanwhile, there have also been a few sightings of the Taoiseach in the canteen at lunchtime. In fact, he was there yesterday, another indication of the attempt at a more relaxed approach.
He did fine interview with Sean O’Rourke on yesterday’s News at One , standing up to Sean’s trademark robust questioning and putting in a confident and authoritative performance on the economy. One observer described his vigorous defence of the Government as similar to his interview with O’Rourke just before the last general election, when “he ate Richard Bruton for starters”.
But there’s more. He’ll be turning up for the final Questions and Answers programme on Monday night. And he’s back again in RTÉ next Saturday, when he will be a guest on the final transmission of Rodney Rice’s Saturday View radio show. Rodney is retiring after a long and distinguished broadcasting career.


Irish Times