Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Last month Fine Gael published a Bill requiring that by-elections be held within six months. There was good reason for that. If I was sitting on the opposite side of the House and enjoyed the level of support the Government enjoys, I would not rush to the electorate either. There is always a reason for governments not to hold by-elections. For that reason, we need to take it out of the hands of the incumbent Government and put it into the hands of the law because the law is always objective and does not serve special interests.

The new politics which the public now demands must refocus not on the needs of the incumbent Government or on special interests but on the needs of the people we are supposed to serve. Postponing by-elections serves only the needs of Government and it always disadvantages the people who are under-represented in the constituency that is under-represented.

The Government has given us all sorts of excuses why it will not hold by-elections, mayoral elections, referendums, etc., but they are all red herrings and a distraction from the real reason it is not holding elections which is its fear of the electorate. I understand the reason but it is putting itself in conflict with the Constitution, certainly in the case of Donegal South-West in which it is way outside the level of tolerance. It is also in conflict with the spirit of the Constitution in all constituencies, and Fianna Fáil has always placed such store in the Constitution.

What we want is a general election and not a by-election because the Government has no mandate for what it is doing and it has been totally rejected by the people for what it has done. It was elected on the promise of being a safe pair of hands for the economy and the party that had the expertise to perpetuate the Celtic tiger. That is what it persuaded the people to vote for but look at what they got instead. They faced complete wipe out of their jobs, pensions, savings, share values and of hope. Everything was wiped out. Now the Government has us on a treadmill of a banking policy which can only lead to catastrophe.

The Government is accumulating debt daily which will be a ball and chain around the necks of the younger generation. Our sons and daughters lives will be blighted trying to repay the debt it has accumulated on their behalf. Their families, homes and futures have been blighted as a result of that.

If this Government had any shame, it would resign and slink away. It should at least give the people what they are entitled to under the Constitution. If it believes it has a mandate, it should put it to the test.

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