Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

That party's intent to seek the resignation of the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, is indicative of a growing tendency within the Opposition that focuses on personality rather than on politics. It is sad that once again their approach amounts to playing the man rather than the ball. Rather than be out-done in the sham indignation stakes by Deputy Gilmore, Deputy Kenny has chosen to join him in taking the old discredited Labour approach of seeking "heads in baskets".

The Opposition's eagerness for a motion of no confidence is premised not on the implementation or the administration of the programme for Government commitments on defence, but rather on Deputy Kenny's promise to his parliamentary party in the aftermath of the George Lee debacle that "what I'm going to do now is be myself".

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