Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

It is because the Deputy who nominated the Taoiseach, one of the his own party members, commended the Irish people on their patience and forbearance. There will be a collective groan in every living room in the country today. It is not personal, Taoiseach, but 75% of people did not want you returned as Taoiseach and they did not want Fine Gael in a position of power, yet that is about to happen.

We keep hearing about the dawn of a new politics. The programme for Government boasts that it will be unlike any other Government in the history of the State. What we certainly can say, however, that the traditional rules do not apply, because the two traditional parties have had to come to an arrangement. Instead of being able to field two teams, the capitalist establishment has had to field just one team. Fianna Fáil is stressing that this is not a grand coalition, but it is the first cousin of a grand coalition and it certainly looks like a grand coalition. Fianna Fáil has spurned the trappings of power on this occasion because in the run-up to the election it had to tack to the left to gain new votes, so it would not be fitting for them to go into government. If the Fianna Fáil Members think they can ride two horses in supporting the Government and leading this Opposition, they should think again.

Fianna Fáil is trying to claim credit because it supported the Government to get a deal on water charges, but they should be clear about this. The reason this was a sticking point in the formation of a Government was the mass movement that took place against water charges, and no other reason. It was not to do with Fianna Fáil. It also concerned the boycott which was maintained despite threats by the parties in government. I will raise this warning for Fianna Fáil: when this issue returns to the Dáil, which they have tried to prevent for the last two months, it could be the rock upon which they perish. That is because they will be forced to take a position on water charges-----

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