Barry Cowen has defiantly vowed to be back in Government after admitting losing his job as Agriculture Minister was a “hard price to pay”.
The Laois-Offaly TD who was sacked this week amid growing controversy surrounding a drink driving conviction in 2016.
Cowen was driving himself and a friend home from the All Ireland Football final four years ago when he was found to be over the limit by gardai, which led to a driving ban for three months and a €200 fine.
He has denied allegations that he attempted to evade a garda checkpoint.
And speaking in the first interview since his sacking, Cowen vowed that he’ll “not be going away”.
“I’m not a victim. It’s the consequences of an unfortunate mistake that I’ve paid a dear price for”, he said.
“There are some outstanding issues for which I’ve processes by which I have to seek rectification and I’ll do that.
“But ultimately, it’s a hard price to pay for such an event, but you know, I’ve apologised on many occasions, and I’ll do so again to my constituents and to the general public for that lapse of judgement or lack of judgement.”
Cowen was sent on his bike on Monday by new Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who insisted he had to go after trying to lawyer-up and refusing to answer further questions in the Dail.
Defending his decision not to address the Dail to answer more questions on his conviction, he told Liam Dumpleton on Midland’s 103fm: “Many people believe that the punishment I got wasn’t enough, and that I deserved more retribution, and that may well be the case.
"There was a difference of opinion between myself and the Taoiseach about how this issue should evolve.
“I think that there is potential for me to seek rectification of this issue, and there are processes which I have engaged in that I can’t comment on a whole lot more, only to say that there are processes, there is legislation in place that offers citizens opportunities to pursue such rectification and I’m engaging in that and I couldn’t engage in a process within the Dail that would undermine or demean or prejudice those opportunities that I have.”
And the 52-year-old, who spent just 17 days in office, insisted he’s going to be around for the long haul, hopefully finding himself in a “position of strength” which he hopes one day could lead him back into Government.
He said: “I as a public representative have been afforded the fantastic privilege and opportunity of being their representative and they expect me to do a job.
"They don’t expect me to wallow in sympathy for the effects of an issue that has left me out of Government.
"But it didn’t leave me out of the Dail or without the responsibilities that I have to ensure that their best interests are at the heart of my work.
“I want to assure them that is the case for the future because I’m not going anywhere.
"I want to continue to be their representative, I want to continue to put myself before the electorate, continue to seek, to find myself in a position of strength so I can be in Government again where I can implement many of the ambitions that I have for my county, for my region and for my country.”
