Dáil debates

Tuesday, 15 June 2010

Confidence in the Taoiseach and the Government: Motion

 

8:00 am

Photo of Martin ManserghMartin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)

I welcome this opportunity to express full confidence in the Taoiseach and Government, courtesy of Fine Gael. No doubt they will take care in future to check out the possibility of a clash of engagements.

The Fine Gael motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach was an instant response to the publication of two major reports into the causes of the banking and financial crisis before most people even had an opportunity to read and digest them.

If one wants a prime example of political and media spin, it is the crude oversimplification of these two reports through reductionist personalisation. There is a great deal of relevance in them to many organisations and sectors and even to our entire society, and such an approach does no justice to these reports. Perhaps dealing with this motion today will facilitate more concentration on the substance. Earlier fears that these reports would not go near the heart of the matter have proved entirely unfounded.

Each Deputy elected to this House has a mandate for up to five years, unless the Dáil is dissolved earlier. It is the Dáil who elects the Taoiseach and who mandates and sustains the Government, in case of doubt by an explicit confidence motion such as this. The notion of an electoral policy mandate, or a mandate contingent on opinion poll ratings, while it may have a place in political debate, has no constitutional foundation, quite rightly from the point of view of political stability. All Governments have to manage unforeseen crises and contingencies. As a matter of fact, it was clearly indicated to the electorate in 2007 that Deputy Bertie Ahern would hand over to a successor in the course of this Dáil, and that successor was likely to be Deputy Brian Cowen.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.