Opposition wants poll as referendum on FF government

THE Opposition signalled their intention to make the forthcoming elections a referendum on the Government’s performance as the campaign heated up yesterday.

In the Dáil, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore criticised Brian Cowen’s performance ahead of his first anniversary as Taoiseach today.

They did likewise in separate press conferences to launch candidates, with Mr Gilmore claiming Mr Cowen was “fumbling in the dark trying to find the door” and that people would use polling day on June 5 to express their “very strong opinion” about the way Fianna Fáil had “mismanaged” the economy.