Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I have great pleasure in supporting the motion for the issue of this writ today in respect of the by-election in Kildare North. I do so as a successor to the outgoing Deputy, Mr. McCreevy who, as all Deputies will acknowledge, has served that constituency with great distinction, both as a backbencher and as a Minister in successive Governments. Kildare North has benefited in the past eight years particularly from the strong voice that Mr. McCreevy represented in Government on behalf of the people of the constituency. He did so effectively and despite his critics, from whom we will hear shortly and in the weeks ahead, the people of the constituency know precisely the stature of that record and the impact he has made.

The Government looks forward to going to the people of Kildare North to ask them in a sensible way whether it is in their interest that they face the prospect of not being represented by a Government Deputy for the next two and a half years, given the enormous contribution their outgoing Government Deputy made in the past seven or eight years. I believe the people will give a resounding affirmative answer to us in reply to that question.

Based on Mr. McCreevy's record and that of the Government, we are anxious and willing to have our record tested at this time. The only two people who will outwork us on this election campaign are Deputies Durkan and Stagg, whom I am sure will be out day and night working hard for their prospective running mates for the next general election.

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