Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

-----that political loyalty is a virtue. From early last week, from the time there was an agreement in prospect, he had his representatives out on the airwaves doing his damnedest to undermine the work that was going on. This was stupid and short-sighted because the fact that an opportunity to achieve serious reform in the public services has now been thrown away and turned down by Government is something we will all regret next year.

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