FINE GAEL POSITION:FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny last night ruled out any question of forming a rainbow coalition with Labour and the Greens without going to the country to allow the people vote for an alternative government.
Mr Kenny dismissed the idea that the Green Party might withdraw from Government with Fianna Fáil and cross the floor to join a new coalition with Fine Gael and Labour without providing the people with a chance to approve such an arrangement.
“It’s up to the Greens to decide what they want to do, but there won’t be any rainbow coalition formed without a general election – the people want an election and they showed that by voting no-confidence in the Government by almost 73 per cent on Friday.
“Our motion of no-confidence reflects that and my deep-rooted belief for a very long time – I said it the day that Brian Cowen was appointed Taoiseach that he should have sought a mandate from the people; he didn’t do it and now it’s in tatters.”
However, Mr Kenny played down any suggestion of Fine Gael seeking a pre-election alliance with the Labour Party, and said he fully respected the Labour Party’s decision to fight the next general election as an independent party with no pre-election pacts.
“The Labour Party have ruled out that for quite a long time, and I’m happy that Fine Gael will pursue its own agenda here and its own policy decisions, and we will continue with those in the length of time ahead.”
He acknowledged that there were differences in policy between both parties, particularly in relation to the banks and public service costs, but he did not believe these differences would be insurmountable.
He pointed to previous agreements reached between them.
“On the last occasion where Fine Gael had a pre-election arrangement with Labour we did agree a whole series of economic measures and taxation issues which were quite difficult to resolve and they were resolved, and the same applied in the 1990s and in the 1980s and in the 1970s.
“I’m not saying that’s the outcome of what you would have here. Both parties are going to go into a general election with their own individual platform, and we’re happy to do that from our point of view and to focus on the constituencies where we expect to make gains.”
Mr Kenny strongly dismissed suggestions made by some Government Ministers that calling a general election would destabilise the country and cause concern on international money markets, notably in relation to Ireland’s ability to get its public finances in order.
“I’ve heard Government Ministers talking in recent days about reverting to the 1980s. This is an entirely different situation.We’ve had a party in government for the last 12 years who have presided over a particular economic philosophy which has led us here and we need change.”
Mr Kenny was speaking in Cork where he congratulated Seán Kelly on his success in Ireland South in the European election.
“Fine Gael have won the European elections as the largest party from Ireland, and we are the largest party in local government ... We’re going to use all those resources to galvanise the movement for Fine Gael, to keep it onwards and upwards.”