O'Dea hits out at 'Mayo mannequins' at ardfheis

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea launched a stinging attack on Labour and Fine Gael.

Speaking at the opening session of the Fianna Fáil ardfheis in Killarney this morning, Mr O'Dea hit out at the Labour leadership's "collective amnesia" over its connections to the Workers Party and said Fine Gael had yet to come up with a promised programme for government.

In a predictable offencive lashing the potential coalition partners after the next election, he said if a Fine Gael/Labour government had been elected in 2002 "the economic success, that some take for granted today, would still be a pipe dream".

"The last eight and a half years have been a time of unprecedented growth and development.

"We have created almost a half a million new jobs, we have slashed unemployment from 5.6 per cent to 1.5 per cent, we have taken 270,000 people out of the tax net, we have increased investment in public transport from a mere €8 million in 1997 to €686 million today.

"We have achieved all this and a lot more besides... yet still the incredible alternative of Sargent, Kenny and Rabbitte - the Larry, Curly and Moe of Irish politics - have the audacity to act as if all this happened by accident or was just a simple co-incidence.

In personal attacks on Labour leader Pat Rabbitte and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny Mr O'Dea labelled them the "two Mayo mannequins".

On Mr Kenny he said: "Eighteen months ago Enda announced that he would have a detailed programme ready within 18 months. Has anyone seen it yet?"

Calling Mr Rabbitte an "ageing windbag", Mr O'Dea said the bulk of Labour's leader ship "seem to be still thinking Workers Party".

Earlier this month, Workers Party president Sean Garland was arrested at the party's ardfheis in Belfast. The PSNI arrested the 71-year-old from Navan, Co Meath in relation to alleged international counterfeiting offences.

He was released pending his potential extradition to the US. The US authorities claim he and others bought, moved and either passed as genuine or resold high-quality counterfeit $100 notes called "super dollars".

On the matter, Mr O'Dea said: "It's true what they say: You can take the leader out of the Workers Party but you can't take the Workers Party out of the leader. Unless, of course, you mention Sean Garland.

"Just the mere mention of that name and Rabbitte, Sherlock, Gilmore and Lady Wicklow develop a collective amnesia so excruciating and debilitating that it renders the poor dears speechless.

"And what does Enda think about his political partner's former associates? We don't know because the man from America hasn't told Enda what to think yet. And these are the people who believe their time has come."