Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

All the indications are that Deputy Stagg is already out running for one of the new brooms which Deputy Rabbitte has brought forward, whom we wish well in their first electoral contest. I was amused by some of the commentary last night about the prospect of the Government deferring this by-election and the Opposition being very anxious to get out there and show the substance of the Mullingar accord, as it lowed with the other livestock in that area.

I was a by-election candidate who had to wait for six months when the then Government, composed of Fine Gael and the Labour Party, decided that the people of Laois-Offaly could wait for more than six months before it was prepared to take on the motion at that time.

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