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Monday, 26 October 2009 10:48 |
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Fianna Fáil - Greens coalition passes confidence vote despite severe losses at local and European elections.
Opposition party Fine Gael tabled a motion of no confidence in the Government after ruling party Fianna Fáil suffered a heavy defeat at the local and European elections held during June 2009.
On June 5th, Fianna Fáil lost 75 seats on local councils and half its European Parliament seats, falling behind opposition party Fine Gael for the first time in history.
Less than a week after the local and European elections, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny announced his party would table a motion of no confidence in the Government.
Mr Kenny called for a general election and said "The people have voted for us and made us the largest party with the largest number of seats".
But the Fianna Fáil - Greens coalition Government won the confidence vote in the Irish Parliament by 85 votes in favour and 79 against.
The former Progressive Democrat and current Minister for Health, Mary Harney, defended the Government record and reminded that "as an exporting country, dependent for its survival on 80% of what we produce being sent abroad, we are more adversely affected by the economic crisis than almost any other country in the world”.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan closed the debate for the Government stating that he understood the Irish people were angry.
“People have lost jobs. They have lost savings."
“These are the human manifestations of the worst global recession since the Great Depression eight decades ago.”
But Mr Lenihan confirmed the Government would continue pushing any measures needed for economic recovery, even if unpopular.
"The government will continue to take actions to restore order and sustainability to the public finances".
The Fianna Fáil - Greens coalition Government has, at present, a majority of three Dáil members. The next Irish general election is not due until the latter part of 2012.
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