POLITICAL FUTURE:TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen will take advice from family and friends in the coming days before making a decision on his political future in the run-up to the Laois-Offaly selection convention on February 1st.
In his home town of Clara yesterday, on the issue of standing or not, Mr Cowen said: “We’ll reflect on that. I mean yesterday [Saturday] I made one big decision. I said that – our convention is due on February 1st, so obviously we will make our mind up before then.”
He added: “I wouldn’t like to speculate on it at this stage. I just want to talk to a few people, just take a few days and try and see what’s the best thing to do . . . One of the things that’s come into play, I suppose, in the last couple of days is you know, with politicians I mean . . . you spend a long time in your life making decisions which are not necessarily with your own self in mind.”
In situations like this, he had to listen to his family as well.
Personally, he said he felt disappointed with the way the events turned out last week.
“We understood that we were in a position to proceed with putting my best team in the field for the next election and Thursday morning, then, everything was different and obviously I have to take responsibility for that . . .
“Yesterday I felt the best thing from my political assessment was to step back and let the party come to another decision.”
However, Mr Cowen said he would not be drawn on whether he believed he had been unfairly treated.
“I’ve always been raised in the belief that no one person is bigger than the party and you have got to make an objective political assessment . . . I’m satisfied in the present circumstances that was the right thing to do.”