Opposition hit out at Fianna Fáil infighting

THE opposition lambasted the convulsions within Fianna Fáil and said it was clear the main Government party was focused on itself rather than running the country.

Labour TD Ruairí Quinn said at a time when the need for a new government was never greater to get people back to work, Fianna Fáil remained preoccupied with internal problems.

He said Mr Cowen’s announcement that he intended to stay on as leader, and Micheál Martin’s subsequent challenge to the Taoiseach, “means that the leadership issue will continue to be [the] sole focus of attention for Fianna Fáil ministers and TDs when everyone’s efforts and energies should be directed towards turning the country around”.

“What the people want to see is not just a change in the leadership of Fianna Fáil, but a change of government: a government with a new mandate and the energies and ideas to commence the process of national recovery.”

Mr Quinn said FF instability reinforced the case for the Dáil to be given an early opportunity to debate Labour’s motion of no confidence in the Government.

The coalition has broken with tradition and refused to schedule time to debate this motion. Instead, Labour will have to wait until next week when it has allocated debating time that it can use.

Sinn Féin, which has tabled a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach will also have to wait before its motion can be heard.

The party’s Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said Mr Cowen “is determined to prolong the life of a disastrous Government that should have been hunted from office long ago”.

The Taoiseach’s announcement would be “greeted with anger by people throughout Ireland,” Mr Ó Caoláin said. “Their priority is to get rid of this Fianna Fáil/Green Government, regardless of who is the leader of Fianna Fáil.

“Never was an immediate general election more necessary than now and never was it more necessary to reverse the policies of an outgoing government.”

A Fine Gael spokesman said the Government was incapable of providing certainty for people: “People must be aghast to see the main party of Government focusing on party issues rather than the country.

“There needs to be an immediate general election to provide the country with the certainty that this Government are completely incapable of providing.”