Noonan attacks Govt's 'failures'

Fine Gael has described the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition as an "abject failure".

Party leader Michael Noonan listed a litany of issues he said the current Government has failed to address, including street crime, house prices, inflation, childcare and government spending.

He also accused it of squandering Ireland’s recent economic boom.

"You got the Exchequer in surplus; you’re leaving it in deficit," Mr Noonan said, "and the next

administration, as always after Fianna Fáil, are going to be sweeping up after your ineptitude."

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, rejected the opposition criticism and said his five years in power will be remembered as "a golden period".