THE Labour Party leader, Mr Spring, has made a scathing attack on the Progressive Democrats, accusing them of hypocrisy, hysteria and being "unfit to be trusted with the management of our economy".
In a speech last night that brought the pre election verbal jousting between the parties to a new level, the Tanaiste described the PDs philosophy as selfish and uncaring, saying the sooner it withered in Irish politics, the better.
The PDs record in government was "the most miserable in recent history", he said at his selection convention in Tralee, according to a supplied script. In government, "their uncaring, self centred attitude to any real issues affecting the wider community would be disastrous".
It was in the best interests of the State that the present Government be reelected and the PDs kept out of office, he said. "The PDs and their sterile selfish philosophy will begin to wither if they don't have access to office after this election. As far as that selfish philosophy is concerned, I say it can't happen soon enough."
He was tired, he said, of lectures from the PDs on the need to control public spending when they had driven up public expenditure by several times the rate of inflation when they were in government.
"Don't the Progressive Democrats have some neck?... The only thing that went up faster in three years was the number of people out of work.
"But listening to hollow and bogus demands for expenditure cuts from a political party that never opens its mouth without demanding more public spending is a bit much to take."
He cited the PD commitments to extra spending on group water schemes, nurses' pay, disability, education for children with disabilities, literacy and carers - all made in the last two months - as examples.