Crisis Inside the Cowen Government | Complete Series | RTÉ Documentary 2011

Featuring interviews with key players in Brian Cowen's administration, ministers, TDs, senior advisers and observers piece together the inside story of the government that brought Ireland from complacent prosperity to the edge of bankruptcy
From start to finish, Brian Cowen’s government faced unprecedented economic and political upheaval. Throughout this two-part documentary series, senior ministers from Cowen’s government speak candidly about how major decisions were taken and what they thought of his leadership.
Crisis: Inside the Cowen Government relies on interviews with key players in Brian Cowen’s administration, ministers, TDs, senior advisers and observers to piece together the inside story of the government that brought Ireland from complacent prosperity to the edge of bankruptcy. The programme contains revealing new information about the Cowen administration and its final collapse earlier this year.
The two-part series, written by political editor Pat Leahy, whose best-selling book Showtime: The Inside Story of Fianna Fail in Power lifted the lid off the administrations of Bertie Ahern for the first time, is more than a retelling of this momentous story.
Looking back at the governments led by Bertie Ahern, when Brian Cowen was finance minister, and at the election campaigns fought by Fianna Fail in 2002 and 2007, the programmes trace the evolution of the crisis and show how reckless politics led directly to economic devastation. Crisis: Inside the Cowen Government explains not just what happened, but why it happened.
It is the definitive story of the most turbulent government in the history of the state, and of the disasters that befell it.
Episode One
In episode one, Crisis: Inside the Cowen Government looks at the biggest decision that Brian Cowen’s government took, the Bank Guarantee of September 2008. It appears that cabinet members believe there should have been a full and frank discussion on that fateful night.
As the government under Brian Cowen continued through 2008 and into 2009 there were those within the party who thought a general election might be the strategy to take. Brian Cowen did not take this advice and the government grew more and more unpopular.
The first episode also explains how Fianna Fáil, under Bertie Ahern, perfected its political model by turning economic success into political gain.
Episode Two 48:13
The concluding episode assesses Brian Cowen’s tenure and legacy as Taoiseach and asks if the Fianna Fáil party can resurrect itself from its worst election result
Episode two of Crisis - Inside the Cowen Government begins in September 2010 as Fianna Fáil gather in Galway for their annual Think-In.
Morning Ireland presenter Cathal MacCoille speaks for the first time about his infamous interview with Brian Cowen. He shares his thoughts on how Brian Cowen performed in that interview and what he thought of his demeanour.
Alan Ahearne, Brian Lenihan’s special adviser, reveals for the first time details about Department of Finance negotiations the weekend that senior FF minsters were denying a bailout. He describes how Brian Lenihan wanted the bailout to proceed.
As the party moved towards Christmas the question of leadership was on everybody’s minds. As 2011 dawned Brian Cowen decided it was time to silence his critics and called a vote of confidence in his leadership. Now for the first time members of the parliamentary party disclose the conversations they had with Brian Cowen.
Victory in the vote of confidence led to Brian Cowen attempting to reshuffle his cabinet. This move was seen by many as unnecessary and was not supported by the coalition partner, The Green Party.
Without the authority to change his cabinet, Brian Cowen resigned. It brought to an end of a political career that spanned over two decades.
Crisis - Inside The Cowen Government assess Brian Cowen’s tenure as Taoiseach, his legacy and asks can Fianna Fáil resurrect itself from its worst election result?