January 18 2011 by Paul Gogarty
Date for election needs to be set immediately
On the 22nd of November the Green Party announced we would be withdrawing from Government once the budgetary process was complete. This was largely down to the handling of the bailout issue by our partners in Government and what we saw as the need to provide clarity to the Irish people who were confused and angry about what was happening at a time when they needed leadership and honesty.
We would have gone at that time if we could, but we saw the need to do the right thing and pass the unpopular but necessary Budget, set out a provisional four-year-plan, conclude the EU/IMF loan facility and complete the Finance Act. We said that an election should be called in January and indeed it may have been possible with the right political will to complete the budgetary process so that an election could have been called before the end of this month.
In fairness, there was some progress in this regard, with the Dail resuming on the 12th of January, two weeks earlier than last year. However the Taoiseach rightly pointed out that it was his prerogative to set the election date and indications were given to the Green Party that the Finance Bill would not even be ready to be published until around the 20th of January.
Given that in previous years the Finance Bill has taken us past the end of February, there was no point in calling a halt to the Government for the sake of a few weeks. Particularly as the opposition parties gave no tangible evidence that they would pass the legislation as published to get it through as quick as possible. In fact all the suggestions are that a new Programme for Government after the election would lead to an entirely new budgetary process, with the related economic uncertainty dragging into the summer.
Therefore a few weeks’ slippage in our desired election timing, in the interests of the country, is something we indicated we were prepared to put up with. In the interim there is also the opportunity to pass further legislation as agreed in the Programme for Government, such as the Climate Change Bill and Corporate Donations legislation. But our desire to pass such legislation does not come at the expense of the national interest.
We set out to provide stability at a time when the country needed a firm hand and tough decisions, unpopular as they may be. And indeed the Green Party has held firm throughout this turbulent Government period when we had to try and sort out an economic mess we bore no responsibility for. We took the electoral damage this entailed because it was the right thing to do.
We said we would stay a short while longer to continue doing the right thing by the country and get the Finance Bill passed. However the recent instability caused by the Fianna Fail leadership heave has thrown the whole process into disarray, in my view. The benefits to the country of hanging in to get the Finance Bill passed are in danger of being outweighed by continuing instability and flakiness from Fianna Fail. We are staying in Government for a short while more to assist the country, not to act as a therapist and a shoulder to cry on for our partners in Government.
Despite our requests the Fianna Fail leader and/or leaders in waiting have not as of yet given a firm indication of an election date. Some say the end of March, others say the spring. The recent leadership heave may in fact drag the process out further, something I as an elected representative am entirely unhappy with.
I believe that under the circumstances the people need a specific election date and they need it now. There is no difficulty in my mind with setting an election date for five or six weeks’ time. This will focus minds on the legislation to be passed. With week long sittings and sittings after midnight if necessary, all of the essential debates can be held and amendments tabled. A heavy workload, yes, but for certainty and stability, priceless.
This is why I am saying now, loud and clear, that whoever is leader of Fianna Fail and whoever is Taoiseach after tonight, they need to immediately outline the date they will hold the election. Under normal circumstances it is the Taoiseach’s prerogative; in these unstable times, the people have a right to know pronto.
Paul Gogarty TD - 3:30pm, 18th January 2011
