Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

This is the second vote of confidence in the Taoiseach to be considered this year. A motion of confidence in any Taoiseach involves a questioning of his ability to govern the country and his capacity to lead Ministers. It is a question of confidence in the leadership of someone in steering the society and economy of Ireland on behalf of the people. It involves deciding whether to give a mandate to someone to act as a leader. The first of the votes of confidence to which I refer took place on 24 May last, when the people overwhelmingly declared their confidence in Deputy Bertie Ahern and the Fianna Fáil Party by returning the Government. When the people gave the Taoiseach that vote of confidence, they based their judgment not only on his successes in recent years, but also on their confidence in him to lead Fianna Fáil into government to meet the challenges which our society and economy will face in the years to come. Those who gave the Taoiseach their vote of confidence had heard his explanations of certain issues relating to his personal finances.

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