Coalition working well - Gilmore

There would always be difficulties in Government but the Fine Gael-Labour coalition was “working well”, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore told his party’s annual “think-in” today.

In a veiled reference to last week’s row over health-cuts, he said: “There are difficult decisions to be made in every area of policy, but there is a need in making those decisions for us to be sensitive to the needs of people and their deeply-held concerns.”

Speaking at Carton House in Maynooth, he said the Coalition was “moving from the initial crisis management phase into a new period in the life of this Government, a period where we need to consolidate the gains we have made, and to shape the recovery”.

Accepting that “people are feeling worn out, frustrated; and, frankly, worried about what’s next”, he said it was important to be “upfront” with the public.

“As [US] president Clinton said at the Democratic Convention last week, there is no avoiding arithmetic.”

On the children’s rights referendum, he said: “I believe that this Constitutional change will be one of the proudest legacies of this Government.”

The “think-in” continues today with a guest contribution from Fine Gael Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald on the children’s rights referendum.