FF would support FG government, says Martin
Voting with Fine Gael from the opposition benches would be “in the right interests of the people and the country”, according to Mr Martin. “If the right policies are being pursued, I will support them.”
He made the comments to Today FM shortly before Mr Kenny emerged from his meeting with EU Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, yesterday evening.
The Cork South Central TD, who took over the party’s leadership on Wednesday, came under attack in the Seanad where he was described as a “two-timing eejit” for manipulating the electorate.
As senators used the debate on the Finance Bill to fire the opening shots in the election campaign, Fine Gael’s Liam Twomey said Mr Martin had sat at the cabinet table with Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen, and his apology for the Government’s mistakes is too late.
“He reminds me of the sort of two-timing eejit we meet in every part of the country. Everybody knows the type, constantly fooling around behind the back of his long-suffering girlfriend and constantly saying sorry and that it will never happen again.”
By saying sorry to the electorate, Mr Martin was “putting on a smarmy smile, going down to the local service station, buying a bunch of €1.99 flowers and running around the corner to see if he can convince her to let him back into the bedroom,” according to Mr Twomey.
Finance Minister Brian Lenihan used his Seanad address to hit out at his former coalition partners who he said left little time for debating the bill by pulling out of Government last week.
“It was extraordinary that the Green Party could not find it in its heart to give the Government another week or two,” he said.
He also criticised Fine Gael for their belief that the EU would be willing to re-negotiate the terms of Ireland’s bailout and allow Irish banks to burn bondholders. He described this as “the Skibbereen Eagle approach that believes the Czar of all the Russias will listen to our representations.”
Mr Lenihan warned voters about the empty promises of the Labour Party which he called “the Late Late Show doctrine.”
“This doctrine states that one opposes all tax increases and expenditure cuts,” the minister said.
“This is ‘The Late Late Show’ doctrine as enunciated by Deputy Gilmore on that show and is what one is facing into in the forthcoming election campaign.”
The Seanad will conclude its debate on the Finance Bill this evening, clearing the way for Brian Cowen to go to the Áras and seek the dissolution of the Dáil.
But the Taoiseach confirmed he will wait until Tuesday to call the election.
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