Pressure on Government to hold by-elections quickly

The Government has come under increased pressure to concede to the demands of Fine Gael and Labour and hold the Meath and Kildare North by-elections quickly.

Last night, both Fine Gael and Labour warned that they could withdraw all co-operation in the Dáil from the Government if it opposes quick elections. The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, will move the writ this afternoon in the Dáil for the by-election to fill the seat left vacant by former Fine Gael leader Mr John Bruton in Meath.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Pat Rabbitte, will move the writ for the Kildare North by-election, even though the vacancy there was caused by the departure to Brussels of the former minister for finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy. Despite earlier indications to the contrary, no negotiations took place last night between the Government and the Opposition to settle the dispute. Under the rules of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Fine Gael can move the writ for the Meath by-election on a weekly basis if it is defeated today, which will compound the Government's embarrassment.

The last time a government refused to accept an opposition party's wish to move a writ came in February 1984 when Fine Gael and Labour refused to accept Fianna Fáil's wish to move a writ to fill the seat left vacant by Mr Bernard Cowen, father of the Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen.

Fianna Fáil's then whip, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, moved the writ on that occasion. Though initially beaten, he successfully moved the writ the following May.

Mr Rabbitte launched the election campaigns of his two candidates, Meath's Mr Dominic Hannigan and Kildare North's Mr Paddy McNamara. "It is unconscionable, therefore, at a time when the Government has a secure majority, that they would be considering voting down the writ for the Meath by-election, and refusing to move the writ themselves," he said.

He ridiculed the stand adopted by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dempsey, who said that Fianna Fáil was ready for the contests but might not agree to the writs being moved.

"I listened to what he said and I wasn't any clearer at the end of it," said Mr Rabbitte, "This will be very embarrassing for the Government if they decide to oppose them."

Rejecting charges that the Opposition are engaged in a stunt, Mr Rabbitte said: "Fianna Fáil has been caught because they are finding it difficult to get a candidate to run in the name of Fianna Fáil in Kildare, and they have had to find a sub in Meath."