Taoiseach defends record as 30th Dáil dissolved
Taoiseach Brian Cowen insisted he worked hard to fix past mistakes during his farewell speech as leader of the country today.
In a valedictory address to the Dáil ahead of its dissolution, Mr Cowen said he always had the good of the people in mind in every decision he took.
"But I do want to simply say that while the past two and a half years since I was elected Taoiseach have been a time of great trial and test, I believe we have worked hard to correct past failures and to secure the future recovery of our country," he said.
"I know some of the decisions my Government had to take were not popular. But they had to be taken."
Mr Cowen appealed to people to remember his motivation in making political decisions as well as the context in which they were taken.
"I believe politics is about serving the interests of the people first and last," he said.
"That was my motivation starting out in public life and I stayed true to it right to the end.
"In every decision I took, as Taoiseach, I can honestly say the common good was my overriding concern, and loyalty to this country and its people informed every choice I made."
The date of the general election will be formally announced later by Local Government Minister Eamon O Cuiv after Mr Cowen goes to Áras an Uachtaráin to ask President Mary McAleese to officially dissolve the 30th Dáil.
Mr O'Cuiv said February 25 is the most likely date.
Mr Cowen, who declared last night he was stepping down from politics, said the election would define Ireland's economic future and whether it moves on from, prolongs or succumbs to the economic crisis.
"The choice, in many ways, is that fundamental," he said.
Mr Cowen insisted the economy retained many strengths and urged his adversaries to "not talk Ireland down for short-term political gain".
