George Lee has been nominated by Fine Gael as the party’s candidate in the Dublin South byelection next month.
Speaking at a selection convention in Stillorgan tonight, the former RTÉ economics editor said the Government was “arguably the most economically incompetent government in the history of the State”.
Mr Lee, who announced earlier this week that he would run for the nomination, said that in his former role he had always spoken "directly and impartially" and done his best to keep the public "fully informed and up to date about the economy".
He said he had “consistently” highlighted the risks of “inaction and complacency” on the economy but these warnings were ignored.
“Instead the Government chose to portray them as an effort to talk down the economy. It is now too late to warn, too late to turn back the clock, too late to undo the damage that has been done to countless victims of this economic crash.
“The damage to the economic and social fabric of our country is devastating,” he said.
In his speech to delegates, Mr Lee added: “Our jobless total grew by 93,000 people in the first 16 weeks of this year. If this trend continues we will have close to 600,000 people on the dole by Christmas. That’s more than one in four of the workforce according to the most recent report from the ESRI. “
Mr Lee said social partnership, along with the social cohesion and common purpose it ensured for 22 years between trades unions, employers and community and voluntary groups was now “in tatters”.
Wage cuts were now “the order of the day” for the first time ever in the history of the Irish economy.
“Salaries are down by an average of almost 10 per cent in the private sector while a new pension levy imposed in the public sector has been used to engineer a similar pay cut there. People are heavily in debt and fears about job security are at an all-time high. Our banks are on the verge of collapse, and trust in our financial institutions and in our system of regulation has evaporated.”
He said Fine Gael was the party that would make the necessary changes and lead the State out of the current “catastrophe”.
Before the meeting Cllr Jim O’Leary, who had put his name forward, announced that he was withdrawing from the race and was the person who nominated Mr Lee as the candidate. Party leader Enda Kenny was present for the meeting as were both Fine Gael TDs for Dublin South, Olivia Mitchell and Alan Shatter.
The byelection on June 5th is necessary following the death of former Fianna Fáil TD and minister Seamus Brennan last July. The byelection in Dublin Central, to fill the seat held by the late independent TD Tony Gregory, will be held on the same day.
Fianna Fáil is holding its selection conventions for both constituencies tonight.
Shay Brennan, son of the late Séamus Brennan, is the favourite to get the Fianna Fáil nomination ahead of Senator Maria Corrigan.
The Labour Party candidate in Dublin South is Senator Alex White, who ran in the constituency in the last general election, while Ross O’Mullane will run as an Independent. Sinn Féin’s candidate in Dublin South is Shaun Tracey.
The Fianna Fáil selection convention in Dublin Central also take place this evening. Maurice Ahern, a brother of the former taoiseach, will contest the nomination against Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick and Cllr Tom Stafford.
Senator Paschal Donohoe will run for Fine Gael, while Senator Ivana Bacik was named yesterday as the Labour Party candidate. Cllr Maureen O’Sullivan is being put forward by the Tony Gregory organisation.
Sinn Féin has yet to choose its candidate in Dublin Central. The Workers’ Party will field Malachy Steenson.
The Green Party today formally announced its two candidates for the byelections.
David Geary will run in Dublin Central, and Elizabeth Davidson will contest Dublin South.