OPPOSITION LEADERS last night renewed their call for an early general election in response to the collapse in support for both Government parties.
Fianna Fáil and Green Party Ministers insisted, however, that they would continue in office.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Coalition no longer had a mandate to govern following the result of the local and European elections.
Mr Kenny has led Fine Gael to its first-ever victory over Fianna Fáil in a national election, with his party winning a greater share of the vote in both the local and European elections.
Fine Gael won about 120 more council seats than Fianna Fáil in the local elections, making it by far the biggest party in local government.
With the election of Alan Kelly in Ireland South, Labour won three seats in the European Parliament – the same number as Fianna Fáil. Fine Gael won four seats in Europe.
A Dáil debate will begin this afternoon on a Fine Gael motion of no confidence in the Government and the issue will be put to a vote tomorrow. The Government retains a majority of six over the combined Opposition following the departure from the Dáil of Pat “the Cope” Gallagher, who was elected to the European Parliament.
Mr Kenny said his party’s motion of no confidence reflected his deep-rooted belief that Mr Cowen should have sought a mandate from the people when he was appointed Taoiseach.
“I can tell you now, that from every constituency I’ve been in in the last six weeks, the people do want a general election.”
Mr Kenny said “political terror” was holding the Government together. “The people have spoken. They have convicted this Government, and they will continue to wait for them,” he added.
Mr Kenny gave a negative response to the suggestion from his party’s Dublin MEP, Gay Mitchell, that he should seek to agree a pact with Labour before the next general election.
“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.”
Mr Kenny also dismissed out of hand the suggestion that the Green Party might withdraw from Government with Fianna Fáil and cross the floor of the Dáil to join a new coalition with Fine Gael and Labour without an election.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said Fianna Fáil still had a mandate to remain in power despite the election results.
“We have been given a mandate for the two years and we will continue with that mandate as long as we have the confidence of the Oireachtas,” said Mr Ahern, who described the Fine Gael no confidence motion as “opportunistic”.
He also expressed the belief that the Green Party would not pull out of Government and said there was no issue about Mr Cowen’s leadership.
“We have been given a mandate by the people to fulfil over a five-year period,” said Mr Ahern, who added that they would continue with that mandate as long as they had the confidence of the Oireachtas.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore accused Mr Ahern of “defying the will of the Irish people” and he called on Fianna Fáil and the Green Party to reflect on the results.
The Taoiseach did not make any public appearances yesterday as counting in the European and local elections continued.
It emerged yesterday that the Green Party will try to avoid any quick gathering of members to discuss the election results in the hope that time will help wounds to heal.
Party leader John Gormley and Cabinet colleague Eamon Ryan are to spend the next few weeks talking to defeated candidates and party grassroots.
Under the party’s rules, a special delegate convention can be held if just five of the party’s constituency organisations call for it. However, the likelihood now is that such a meeting will not happen until October, when a review of the programme for government with Fianna Fáil should be ready.
“We have been in difficult situations before,” Mr Gormley said. “We have people who will stick with us, who are committed to the Green ideal. I have no doubt but that we will thrive in future.”