DAIL SKETCH:There is an air of exhaustion about the place. The extra three days tacked on to the end of this Dáil session seem to have proved too much for deputies.
When Cowen eventually got his feet under the desk in Government Buildings after being in limbo for months, he was landed with the Lisbon referendum fiasco.
The dust had hardly cleared before the true state of the nation's finances emerged from the wreckage. If the Taoiseach and his top brass are to be believed, the news shot like an express train from a concealed entrance and flattened them.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Cowen. He assumed office trailing a reputation as a politician of brilliance: a straight talking and decisive figure with leadership credentials as long as your arm.
At a time of faltering confidence, who better than the bruiser Biffo to calm the nation? He was expected to hit the ground running.
Instead, he just hit the ground.
Yesterday, as a glum Dáil got down to discussing how the Government intends to manage the downturn, Brian Cowen faced questions on the package of cuts he intends to introduce.
He was all over the place.
"Let us be clear," he told Labour's Eamon Gilmore. "There is no need for confusion." Deputy Gilmore was seeking clarity on the figures.
No cuts, you understand, just savings. Almost half a billion to be clawed back this year, and a further billion next year. A bit here, and a bit there. His Ministers would supply the detail.
Why couldn't the boss supply the details? Where would the axe be falling? "Instead of having this type of drip-drip feed of sneaky cuts and stealth taxes emerging during the summer months, will the Taoiseach give the House the full picture . . . before the Dáil goes into recess?" Grudging would be the best way to describe Cowen's response, wrapped up in a frustrating fug of economist waffle that means nothing to people worrying about mortgage repayments or their job.
"We must work within the spending limits we have set ourselves to underline confidence in ourselves going forward . . . That is the position," he explained. At the moment, this involves finding €1.5 billion over the next 18 months. Although yesterday the best Brian Cowen could manage was a shaky attempt at where the first €440 million of that money might be found.
He was none too hot at that either. Never mind the outstanding billion. That's for next year. And the situation may have changed for the worse by then.
"We are putting out the information as we have it on what we are trying to do."
It didn't help when Cowen began to argue with the Labour leader over why €1 billion and €440 million did not necessarily add up to €1.4 billion. Joan Burton suggested he work it out on a blackboard.
By reputation, he may be the brightest and best for the job. But his Dáil performance yesterday, which had a worrying hit and hope ring to it, did not engender confidence.
And still, he won't hear mention of "cuts". As if an admission that all is not well would insult his intelligence, not to mention his reputation. Like he told Enda Kenny: "If you're not prepared to read and understand what's going on, that's your problem." But it isn't. It's Brian's problem, and unfortunately, this means it is everyone's problem.
Jammy Bertie got out in time. Is that the sound of laughter from the snug in Fagan's?
