Fine Gael and Labour – a parting of the ways?
Harry McGee
1. Statement issued by Fine Gael’s Richard Bruton this afternoon (first few paragraphs):
“Neither nationalisation nor NAMA – FG is only Party that will protect
taxpayers’ interests and get lending going again – Bruton
Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money by propping up dodgy developer debt and
bailing out international bond markets, the Government should invest scarce
taxpayers’ money in clean banks with healthy balance sheets and an appetite
to lend to struggling Irish businesses, Fine Gael Deputy Leader & Finance
Spokesman Richard Bruton TD said today (Tuesday).”
2. Statement issued by Labour’s Joan Burton this afternoon (first few paragraphs):
SPEECH BY EAMON GILMORE TD
Leader of the Labour Party
Moving Dail Motion on Temporary Nationalisation of Banks
Tuesday, 12 May, 2009
NOT FOR USE BEFORE 7.00PM
NATIONALISATION CHEAPEST/ MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF
DEALING WITH BANK PROBLEM
How clearcut is that? Diametrically opposed viewpoints… Fine Gael and Labour more strongly opposed to each other’s policies than they are with the Government’s!
Is the split between the erstwhile perennial coaliton partners permament?
Fintan O’Toole is again calling on Labour not to go into coalition with Fine Gael.
But this time it might be real.
One thing is for certain, there is no love lost betwen Alex White and George Lee in Dublin South… Already Alex has called into question the wherewithal of Enda Kenny.
For once, Fianna Fail could go on the attack, with Noel Dempsey trying to do a bit of ‘wedge’ attacking at the weekend, as he highlighted the discordant tone struck by White.
You can’t blame White. He’s like the kid who has spent hours on the beach carefully sculpting a sand castle. And then Georgie Lee enters the scene and immediately tramples all over the castle.
