Brian Lenihan: Worst finance minister in Europe

Fianna Fáil's Brian Lenihan has been voted 'worst Finance Minister in Europe' by the UK publication The Financial Times.

Lenihan was ranked 18th out of 19 for economic skills and credibilty, 17th out of 19 for political skills and 19th overall.

The newspaper said, “Brian Lenihan was overwhelmed by the crisis in Ireland’s banking system and the implosion of the country’s economic growth”.

One of the judges, Jacques Delpla, criticised Lenihan for not considering the full consequences of his actions when he gave the blanket bank-guarantee which ruined the country.

Germany's Wolfgang Schäuble was ranked first in the list, while Greek minister George Papaconstantinou came eighth overall and first in the political skills category.