Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

No Confidence

Dáil votes down Sinn Féin's motion of no confidence in the government

The motion was defeated with Labour TD Pat Rabbitte calling it “parliamentary farce”.

THE DÁIL HAS voted to pass a motion of confidence in the government with 88 votes to 51. This was a counter motion to Sinn Féin’s motion of no confidence which was tabled and debated in the Dáil this week.

Speaking during the debate before the vote, Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald said so many of the promises made during the last election and on the formation of government have been “dumped as Labour and Fine Gael adopt the failed policies of their predecessors”.

“Deficit reduction is to be achieved by hammering citizens of modest means, by cutting the very meagre supports that are afforded to the sick, to the elderly, to the disabled and to children,” she said.

“Sinn Féin moved this motion of no confidence in the government because confidence in this administration has now run out.”

“Your time is up, do the decent thing and go,” she added.

Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley said the government has “failed utterly” to provide a strategy or leadership in addressing unemployment. He said the coalition also failed to  tackle the banking crisis, the promissory note and mortgages.

Several Sinn Féin TDs challenged Eamon Gilmore who they said had failed to stand up for his party’s policies.

Commenting on the motion Labour TD Pat Rabitte  called  it a “parliamentary farce” and said the Dáil had “serious business” to do.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the motion represents “nothing more than a politically opportunistic act from a party with nothing to offer to the national debate except easy options and damaging policies”.

He said the government has been “hard at work cleaning up the economic havoc” left by the former Fianna Fáil administration.

The Taoiseach said the government has delivered on its promises with respect to reducing bailout interest rates, the restoration of the minimum wage and keeping a large portion of the proceeds from state assets.

Kenny said he recognised the burden on Irish taxpayers is still onerous and said the sacrifices of the Irish people have gotten us to a position where we can look to the future with confidence again.

Read: Doherty opens government no confidence debate in Dáil>

Your Voice
Readers Comments
122
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.