'I am not looking for his resignation' - Ahern

More memorable quotes from the day’s campaigning in the general election were:

:: ‘‘He has apologised and I am not going to be looking for his resignation’’ - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on the row over the ‘‘selfish bastards’’ comment about suicide victims by Sports Minister Dr Jim McDaid.

:: ‘‘Dr McDaid did not mean to cause intense hurt - but he has done so and apologised for it’’ - Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke on the suicide row.

:: ‘‘I am shocked and it does not reflect my views’’ - Environment Minister Noel Dempsey makes his opinion clear.

:: ‘‘Dr McDaid should be sacked from the cabinet and stopped from standing in the election’’ - Labour Party.

:: ‘‘In these circumstances it leaves me in the position of not having anything to proceed against’’ - Sean Ryan, lawyer for deputy premier and Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney on the fruitlessness of preventing circulation of the already-published Magill magazine containing allegations against his client.

:: ‘‘Magill stands over the essential truth of the story’’ - counsel for the magazine Eoin McCullagh in the High Court.

:: ’’The fact that 3,200 prison officers took more than 60,000 sick days is worrying. It contributes 20% of the total overtime bill’’ - Justice Minister John O’Donoghue on a jail trend that causes him concern.

:: ‘‘The Government is continuing the process of ratifying the Nice Treaty in direct defiance of the expressed wishes of the people’’ - Sinn Fein get nasty over Nice.

:: ‘‘The proposal by Fine Gael to knock €400 off car insurance for young people is a cheap gimmick’’ - Fianna Fail’s Ivor Callely.

:: ‘‘The latest trade figures reflect the upturn in the global economy since the beginning of this year’’ - Trade Minister Tom Kitt.