P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

The date of 5 June will go down in Fianna Fáil history, not just because of last Friday's elections but also because seven years earlier on that date Fine Gael chose a new leader, Deputy Enda Kenny – a man I was proud to carry out shoulder high on his by-election victory for the Fine Gael Government of the day in 1974. On the day he was elected leader he made one promise, namely, that he would electrify the Fine Gael party. I think the Government knows now what he meant. He did not promise to electrocute the Fianna Fáil Party, it did that itself. I wish to say a few things today to the gentleman opposite who must be very disillusioned after the elections on 5 June. It is time to change the captain and the team because the Government has come to the end of the road as far as people are concerned and there is nowhere to go. The Government does not even know where it wants to go.

Let me point out the futility of the Government's situation. If in the forthcoming general election the Fianna Fáil party were to receive the 24% it received in the ballot box last Friday it would have only 40 Members sitting in the next Dáil. I repeat, there would be only 40 Fianna Fáil Deputies after the general election we are asking the Government to call tomorrow. Those Deputies who are not re-elected would be joining the other 400,000 people who are on the dole due to the Government's incompetence. If Fianna Fáil got the vote it received in Dublin Central, Fianna Fáil would have only 20 seats after the next election.

I thank the Fianna Fáil party for consuming the Progressive Democrats, the remnants of which are now clinging on to the deckchairs. This week the Green Party is in terminal decline. I heard the Taoiseach say earlier that he would continue as he has been doing because he will have the confidence of this House. How can he judge whether he has the confidence of the people when he is being protected from them and them from him? He came to my constituency two days before the local elections. His visit to my constituency involved a drop from the sky in a helicopter after which his State car took him to several other destinations. He met only a select few who are still loyal to the cause in Schull and Bantry before taking flight again into the clouds. Many people wanted to meet him to discuss issues such as Bantry Hospital. I remind the Minister that a report today indicated that hospital will now become a referral unit for Cork University Hospital. How can one call it confidence when one has to hide the leader of this country from people who wanted to meet him to ask about the future of Bantry Hospital?

I have served the people of west Cork for more than 40 years. I am a realist and I know that we do not have the numbers on this side to win the vote on this motion tomorrow or to force change. However, the people opposite have that choice. While they may not do so today they will have to do it soon. If the Government walks the plank now it may be possible for it to swim to shore. If it waits any longer the water will become deeper and much more choppy thus ensuring it will not survive.

I will conclude with a quote from Abraham Lincoln: "What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself". There is no doubt this Government stinks and the stench is getting stronger with each day. The Government's time is up. It should go now before it does more damage.

See this speech in context