Brian Cowen's unscripted 'homecoming' speech in Offally on Saturday resonated strangely to me.

Cowen has presided over a consistently regressive economic policy in government, that has opened up a wider gap between rich and poor than has been seen in Ireland in the modern period.

His speech at a rally in Tullamore suggested the opposite orientation. Today's Irish Times (page 7) quotes him saying
"Every citizen of this Republic is entitled to my loyalty. I will work with you day and night to make this a better country, a country which will put the citizen at the centre of our concern." He went on to say that Ireland has changed to one of the most diverse nations in the world and that if social inclusion was to be achieved, then people would have to cherish community and "reduce the tendency to self-interest and individualism".

Does Cowen really believe this? If so, why did he not reveal it earlier? Has he has a conversion on the Road to the Office of the Taoiseach? Why do I have a niggling feeling that this speech was shorthand for "I am going to be asking you to tighten your belts in the interests of the Nation".

It would be particularly interesting to hear from Cowen- Watchers who are able to give an answer based on long-term observation of Brian Cowen throughout his political career.

It is too bad that Frank Hall is no longer on tv because that self centered song says it all.

Somehow one knows that Cowen was not addressing himself to individualists like Tony O' Reilly: controls 80% of our print news media, bought licences for gas and oil resrouces off the west coast for mere thousands and sold them on to Exxon Mobil over the heads of the entire population of Ireland for 2 billion and retains a 16% shares in the exploration dividends.

Maybe Cowen is going to do something about that? O' Reilly gave FF the last election, Cowen was present at the meeting in which the deal was done with O' Reilly and he has his marching orders: don't upset rich people.

http://aol.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/9811.html

Are you suggesting that O reilly can mold the minds of the electorate to prevent independent thought. Is it not strange that you have 2 parties in Ireland and as of yet nobody can tell me what difference is between then.