Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

It is always a point of discussion when a member of Parliament decides for his or her own reasons to resign. It is one fewer vote and one fewer voice.

James McDaid has been an advocate for a general election for some time. We now have the unprecedented, bizarre, even GUBU-esque, situation where the number of vacant seats exceeds the Government's working majority. It is bad for democracy, is anti-democratic and smacks of cowardice on the Government's part when those in the constituencies with vacancies are not allowed their mandate or the people a national verdict on the Government. The Taoiseach continues to brazen it out when he knows he does not have a valid authority to govern. The people no longer believe the Government and neither do those outside the country. The Taoiseach's credibility has crumbled, the Government's integrity shattered. The 7.42% interest rate demanded by the bond markets this evening means the Government's proposed budgetary plan is already dead in the water because the international markets see no credibility in the projections for the economy's growth.

The only credible action that will restore people's faith in politics is if the Government goes to them to test its mandate for whatever budgetary proposal it wants to make. In view of the continuing instability both at home and abroad, I challenge the Taoiseach and the Government to stand up and be counted. Is the Taoiseach prepared to put his budgetary plan to the people?

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