Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I also remember that after the Inchydoney meeting and the thinking that took place at it, the feeling was that the former Deputy McCreevy, then Minister for Finance, who in fairness was always his own man with his own view, was to be removed from the Cabinet or could stay there and be demoted. He was then dispatched to the relative safety of the European Commission where he could no longer be a thorn in the side of some backbenchers, because there was a perception that Fianna Fáil was suffering as a consequence of his being Minister for Finance.

In Kildare, Fine Gael has chosen as a candidate councillor Darren Scully, a young man with a very bright future. He is a first-time elected member of Naas Town Council, a young father acutely aware of the needs of north Kildare. No more than anyone else contesting a by-election, this is a difficult time for him. His mother passed away only last week, always an extra burden for any candidate of any party to bear.

Since the vacancy was announced last July, Fianna Fáil seems to have had some difficulty in the constituency and I am glad that as a consequence of the Cabinet meeting today, it has decided to hold its convention on Thursday. I listened to the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, who has some relations in the contest, so let the party decides whatever it wants to do. I am sure stories will be told about the selection. However, I expect that the combined strength of the Fine Gael and Labour parties in north Kildare will ensure a victory in this case for the alternative Government.

I will speak only once in this debate. In respect of Meath we recognise the scale of the challenge. The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dempsey, is director of elections. I know that over the last 50 years, Fianna Fáil got an average of 47% of the vote in Meath and that the lowest it ever got was 42%, in the 1997 general election when John Bruton was Taoiseach. Given that performance, in fairness to the Fianna Fáil party over the years there is a considerable difficulty for anyone in trying to take that Meath seat. However, Shane McEntee is an exceptional candidate and the people of Meath are fair-minded. In the previous general election they gave two seats to the Fine Gael party and we intend, with an outstanding candidate, to fight this by-election very competitively, to win and to put the credentials of Shane McEntee before the electorate so that it will restore the balance as it did through its general election vote in 2002.

Both constituencies, making up as they do one of the fastest-growing conurbations in the country, epitomise all the difficulties now faced by modern constituencies on the edge of greater Dublin in terms of commuter travelling times and pressure on housing, mortgages, schools and health services. The Government has failed appallingly in so many of these areas, which is why it must contend with massive public meetings where frustration and anger are expressed by people. The Government members will feel that is they canvass.

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