Election looms on the horizon

Election looms on the horizon


Cowen comes out fighting but Ring maintains Budget will not win DΡil approval

SANTA Claus could well arrive early for the people of County Mayo and deliver a new Taoiseach if veteran Fine Gael TD Michael Ring’s predictions are accurate.
Dramatically, he told The Mayo News last night that the sorry saga of the 30th DΡil Eireann could well be over by this evening (Tuesday).
Even more ominously, longtime Fianna FΡil Cllr Al McDonnell echoed these views saying: “If I was in the Taoiseach’s shoes this evening I would be going to the park.”
However, this was before Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s statement last night in which he insisted that it was imperative for this country to have the upcoming budget passed and that when the statutory procedures had concluded in the New Year, he would then dissolve the DΡil. 
Earlier Deputy Ring, the outspoken Westport TD and senior minister-in-waiting, said that while Fianna FΡil has made many mistakes, ‘they are not stupid’ and  it was very likely that beleaguered Taoiseach Brian Cowen would this week publicise the four-year (economic) plan, go straight to the park (Áras an Uachtaran) and hand in his P45 to President Mary McAleese.
“How could he try and put the budget through on December 7 when he knows it will be defeated and then there will be neither a budget nor a government? I may be wrong but, at this moment, I believe there will be a quick election in around 21 days time (circa December 14 or 15).” Deputy Ring said yesterday.
“The Green Party caught them out yesterday morning and then [Independent] Michael Lowry [a former Fine Gael TD] became the kingmaker. Jackie Healy Rae will follow his lead,” he continued.
He said that Fine Gael and Labour are all set to put forward their economic plans to get this country out of the gaping economic hole caused by the government’s litany of failures.
“Of course, I don’t like elections and you are always afraid. But the people want an election, they want a new government with a mandate. We desperately need a new beginning,” he said.
Responding to a Mayo News question about Brian Cowen’s fate, Deputy Ring said that if the election is called this week, Cowen will still lead the party.
“You know this is going to be a difficult election for all the sitting TDs, there are no safe seats,” Michael Ring added.
Meanwhile, Cllr Al McDonnell – a Fianna FΡil representative for 23 consecutive years – said last night: “From what I can gather there appears to be growing uncertainty in the past few hours. The most important thing for the country now is for this budget – or another stringent budget – to be passed in the interest of the solvency of the State. It appears that the best way forward is for an immediate general election,” Cllr McDonnell said emphatically
Speaking also from the the other end of the county, Cllr Michelle Mulherin (FG), a Ballina solicitor, told The Mayo News that she too believes there is a strong possibility of an election before Christmas.
“What credibility has this arrogant government got negotiating with the IMF, the ECB and the European Commission? They have a death grip on this country. Basically, yesterday the Greens were posturing as they know the end is coming. Just like everybody who has been party to this government will be trying to make themselves look good now,” Cllr Mulherin said.  
She said that, along with the local Fine Gael organisation, she has been on a serious election footing for over a year.
Coincidentally, Cllr Mulherin – who gained over 5,500 first preference votes in the 2007 General Election – is set to stand, alongside party leader, Enda Kenny, and Deputies Michael Ring and John O’Mahony,  before a scheduled Fine Gael General Election Selection Convention in Castlebar on Sunday, December 5.
When questioned, Cllr Mulherin declined to say if she was aiming to take Deputy Dara Calleary’s seat, the  Fianna FΡil junior minister who is also from Ballina.
“It will be up to the people to decide what seat I take.  All I can say is that Fine Gael has been working on the ground with the local electorate identifying what are the relevant issues. We have also developed our policies on a national level,” she also said.
Cllr Mulherin added: “ There is no reason why this country cannot be led by a taoiseach from the west. We have a different perspective here in the west and we didn’t lose the run of ourselves during the boom. A lot of our values equate with what is good and can inform a new politics in this country.”
With the prospect of becoming Taoiseach a growing and imminent reality, Deputy Enda Kenny also called for an immediate election last night.
In a statement he said: “Over recent months Fine Gael has consistently called for a General Election to provide the clarity and certainty essential to the country’s economic recovery.  The move by the Green Party this morning was presumably intended to provide clarity in terms of the date for an election – what has actually happened is further uncertainty has been created.
“What is needed now is an immediate General Election so that a new government, with a clear parliamentary majority, can prepare the four year economic plan, complete negotiations with the EU and IMF and frame a budget for 2011,” the statement continued.
The Mayo News had failed to contact Deputies Dara Calleary and Beverley Flynn at the time of going to Press. Reportedly, the two TDs continue to back Taoiseach Brian Cowen.