Brian Cowen

"I think it is fair to say that 2007 represents a turning point for the Irish economy."

"I've come up through the ranks of this parliamentary party and let me tell you the principles that have guided me on that journey since my first election 25 years ago: Loyalty to the party, service to…"

"That deterioration, if you like, has to be addressed in the context of the Government being prepared to look at further programmes to see what way we can ensure that going into next year, as challengi…"

"As long as I am running this Government I will run the Government as I see fit...as I believe in, based on my philosophy."

"However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the fundamentals of the economy are still good."

"I believe it is the best method to get the buy-in for the road we have to travel. I believe it is a problem-solving process about how we collectively come forward with a strategy to deal with the issu…"

"We have seen already how resistant public opinion is, firstly to comprehension of the new paradigm in which we have to operate; and secondly, to the rationale behind the decisions we have had to take."

"There were a couple of occasions when it was passed around – and, unlike President Clinton, I did inhale!."