FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny predicted voters would “savage Fianna Fáil’’ in next year’s general election.

He described Fianna Fáil TDs, who had just applauded Taoiseach Brian Cowen following his speech on the four-year economic plan, as “po-faced, sombre, demotivated and beaten’’. He said their eyes showed guilt, not conviction.

“They know they had the responsibility, opportunity and influence to change our nation for the better but failed to do so,’’ said Mr Kenny.

People had enough, he said, adding that the Government should have gone by now.

“If the traditional definition of madness is to do the same things over and over, then this Government’s economic and banking policy fits into that category,’’ said Mr Kenny.

The four-year plan, he said, was neither open nor honest.

“If the savings provided for in the plan are to be used for the continuation of what has been a catastrophic failure of banking policy, and if this forms the entire basis of Ireland’s economic deal with the EU and the IMF, this country is clearly on a road to a decade of economic stagnation and potential insolvency.’’

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore again challenged the Government’s assertion that a frontloading of €6 billion in cuts was required in next month’s budget.

While Labour supported cutting the deficit to 3 per cent by 2014, it believed that frontloading €6 billion posed a grave risk to jobs and growth.

Mr Gilmore said the plan was for austerity not recovery.

“There is no coherent jobs strategy in the plan. There is plenty of waffle about the so-called ‘smart economy’, the same stuff we have been hearing about for almost two years.’’

He said the cut in the minimum wage had no compelling logic, adding it affected fewer than 50,000 people.

“This is being done for purely ideological reasons.’’

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin described the document as “a plan for national impoverishment’’. It was savage and would force people to pay dearly for “the economic treason’’ committed by the Fianna Fáil-led Government.

“It is a travesty of democracy that a four-year plan should be framed by the most reviled Government in the history of this State, a Government whose life is now measured in weeks.’’

Mr Ó Caoláin said the plan had been delivered by a Cabinet which, by the admission of its two Green Party members, had misled and betrayed the Irish people.

“And yet the leader of the Green Party stood beside the Taoiseach yesterday and lauded this four-year plan to high heaven having already handed in his party’s notice to quit.’’