Brian Cowen Prime Minister of Ireland Date of Birth: 10.01.1960 Country: Ireland

1. Biography of Brian Cowen
2. Early Career and Ministerial Roles
3. Minister for Health and Foreign Affairs
4. Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil and Minister for Finance
5. Deputy Prime Minister and Fianna Fáil Leader

Biography of Brian Cowen

Brian Cowen is an Irish politician who served as the Prime Minister of Ireland and the leader of the Fianna Fáil party. He assumed these positions on May 7, 2008, following the early resignation of Bertie Ahern on May 6.

Early Career and Ministerial Roles

Cowen entered parliament in 1984 after the death of his father. On February 11, 1992, he became the Minister for Labour in the government of Albert Reynolds. He later transitioned to the role of Minister for Energy on January 12, 1993, while also serving as the Minister for Transport, Energy, and Communications from January 22, 1993.

However, Cowen was forced to resign from his ministerial positions after the collapse of the Fianna Fáil and Labour coalition government, in which he was involved. Following Fianna Fáil's transition to the opposition, he held positions as the Minister for Agriculture and Food in 1994 and the Minister for Health in the shadow government.

Minister for Health and Foreign Affairs

After the parliamentary elections, Cowen was appointed as the Minister for Health, later transitioning to the Ministry of Health and Children in the government led by Bertie Ahern on June 26, 1997. He then became the Minister for Foreign Affairs on January 27, 2000. In this role, he played a crucial role in promoting peaceful resolution in Northern Ireland and coordinated Ireland's membership in the United Nations Security Council. Additionally, he held the presidency of the European Union from January 1 to July 1, 2004, during which ten new members joined the EU.

Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil and Minister for Finance

In 2002, Cowen was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Fianna Fáil party. On September 29, 2004, he was appointed to the prestigious position of Minister for Finance, succeeding Charlie McCreevy who had moved to the European Commission. During his tenure as Minister for Finance, Cowen played a critical role in stabilizing Ireland's budget and supporting the country's economic development.

Deputy Prime Minister and Fianna Fáil Leader

On June 14, 2007, Cowen became the Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) in the newly formed three-party government, which included Fianna Fáil, the Progressive Democrats, and the Green Party. Subsequently, on April 9, 2008, he was elected as the new leader of the Fianna Fáil party, leading the government coalition in place of the resigned Bertie Ahern.

Overall, Brian Cowen's political career spans various ministerial roles and leadership positions, where he contributed to Ireland's economic stability, international diplomacy, and political governance.