The Minister for Justice today launched a scathing attack on Labour Party leader Mr Ruairi Quinn.
In his address at the Fianna Fail Ard-Fheis this afternoon, Mr John O’Donoghue accused Mr Quinn of "bucolic bumbling" and "incandescent indignation".
Mr O’Donoghue’s comments came after the Labour Party opposed moves to end a "revolving door" prison service, established under the previous coalition of which Mr Quinn was a member, Mr O'Donghue said.
He told delegates in west Dublin that the number of police officers had jumped from 10,800 to 11,700 since Fianna Fail came to power in 1997.
He said 1,200 extra prison places had been provided under the Government's Prison Building Programme.
The number of prisoners on temporary release had fallen from almost 20 per cent to just 6 per cent and the Probation and Welfare System received an extra 100 per cent funding, he said.
Attacking his critics he said: "They have opposed the policies which led to the increase in Garda numbers. They have opposed the policies which resulted in the dramatic drop in the incidence of indictable crime.
"We know what they are against - but what area they for?"
"We know that Ruairi Quinn is against - but what is he for? The answer is clear - Ruairi Quinn is for Ruairi Quinn. He wants power to do again what he did before - nothing.
"I have a message for Mr Quinn. The people have had enough of your aimless opposition. They have had enough of your bucolic bumbling, your incandescent indignation, your self-righteous rhetoric.
"He thinks he is the leader of the Labour party - but the rest of the country knows that the Labour Party is leaderless.
"Ruairi Quinn has caused the Labour party to drift hither and thither in a sea of pompous pronouncements, pandering to populism and capitulating to cranks."
The attack was not restricted just to the Labour leader.
Referring to the Fine Gael leader, he said: "Michael Noonan has nothing to offer but a bag of worn out cliches. Michael Noonan is where he should be - the mediocre leader of a mediocre party."
PA