09/06/2009

'No Confidence' Debate Begins

The Dáil is due to debate a motion of no confidence in the government on Tuesday, after the disastrous results for Fianna Fáil and the Greens in the local and European elections.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has tabled the motion, which is being supported by Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore who said the coalition parties no longer had a mandate to govern.

However, Government Ministers have said they will continue in office despite opposition leaders calling for a general election.

Fine Gael TD Richard Bruton said the electorate had given the Government a massive vote of no confidence about the economy and the results represented more evidence that Fianna Fáil was unable to save the economy.

The cabinet is due to agree a counter motion to the Fine Gael measure, which will be backed by Labour.

Mr Kenny led Fine Gael to its first-ever victory over Fianna Fáil in a national election, with his party winning a greater share of the vote in both the local and European elections.

Fine Gael won almost 120 more council seats than Fianna Fáil, making it the biggest party in local government. Enda Kenny said the current coalition between Fianna Fail and the Greens no longer had a mandate.

The motion of no confidence will be put to a vote on Wednesday.

Mr Kenny said the motion reflected his deep-rooted belief that Brian Cowen should have sought a mandate from the people when he was appointed Taoiseach.

The situation closely mirrors the current situation in the UK where the previous deputy leader Gordon Brown, who is also yet to face a general election, is under severe pressure to step down following bad results at local and European elections.

(DW/JM)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

07 November 2013
Fine Gael Approval Drops
The latest Red C opinion poll has indicated a 4% drop in support for Fine Gael. The poll saw approval of Taoiseach Enda Kenny's part slide from 29% to 25%. The party has had to deal with many contentious issues since its time in government, including water restrictions, health cuts and property tax. Support for Independents has increased 4%.
26 April 2016
Impasses Between FG And FF Preventing Dáil From Dealing With Serious Issues
The current impasse between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on water charges is unnecessary and is preventing the Dáil from dealing with serious issues such as health, housing and crime, Sinn Féin's David Cullinane has said.
12 May 2017
Fianna Fáil Have The Power To Tackle Ticket Touting - SF
The power to tackle the problem of ticket touting is now in the hands of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin have said.
02 February 2011
Election Campaigns Spring Into Action
The main Irish political parties have launched their election campaigns this morning, each toting a new message, and even a new look. The three main parties, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour have each redesigned their websites into campaign pages and launched tirades against each other's policies.
09 February 2016
SF Launch 'Vision For Fair And Sustainable Recovery' Election Manifesto
Sinn Féin has launched its "vision for a fair and sustainable recovery", which it has said is an "alternative to the boom and bust policies of the current and previous governments". Launching the manifesto, Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, said: "The Sinn Féin manifesto is a plan for change. It is a plan for a sustainable and fair recovery.