EAMON GILMORE is at loggerheads with members of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil over his calls to Opposition deputies to be more patriotic.

In the Dáil yesterday the Tánaiste told Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald it would be helpful if she “put on the green jersey” when the Government was trying to negotiate with the Troika about Ireland’s bailout agreement.

“Deputy McDonald and other colleagues in the House spoke to the troika during its visit here,” he said. “It would be helpful if on this occasion she put on the green jersey and assisted the Government in dealing with the negotiations we must have with the troika.”

He was responding to criticism from opposition TDs of the coalition’s dealings with the EU, ECB and IMF during their visit for the fifth review of Ireland’s economic situation.

McDonald had said the government had received a gold star for their austerity measures and their “assaults on the livlihoods of low-and middle-income earners”.

Fianna Fáil accused the Labour leader of “hypocrisy” and “amnesia”, stating the party was far from “pulling on the green jersey in the interests of the country” 12 months ago when it was in opposition.

So, do you agree with the Tánaiste? Should the Opposition be more positive?