Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been included in a list of top ten world leaders by the news magazine Newsweek for his management of the financial crisis.
In an article entitled 'Go to the top of the class', the magazine says Mr Cowen is 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.
'With Ireland's once-roaring economy staggered by the banking crisis - unemployment is at 13%, emigration is rising, and the money markets rank Ireland not far behind Greece on the list of Europe's big-time losers - Prime Minister Brian Cowen and his able finance minister, Brian Lenihan, are prescribing harsh medicine,' Newsweek says .
'They've pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community, raised taxes, and slashed some public salaries by more than 10%,' the .
Mr Cowen is listed among the likes of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, new British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
Newsweek is the second largest news weekly magazine in the US after Time. It is published in four English language editions and 12 global editions written in the language of the circulation region.
