Election Day: People of Offaly get to have their say
by Tadhg Carey Updated: Friday, 21st January, 2011 1:00pm
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has called a general election for Friday, March 11.
His move came after deep political and public unease at the resignations of a total of six Cabinet Ministers in recent days.
In what was an apparent climbdown from a reshuffle - and in the face of significant unease from coalition partners the Green Party - the Taoiseach opted to reassign the vacant Cabinet portfolios and to finally announce the election date.
In dramatic scenes, he told the Dáil: “I believe that the best interests of Ireland demand that Government gets on with implementing our National Recovery plan by passing the Finance Bill and the other necessary legislation and that a new Government then receives a new mandate from the people at a General Election.”
“It is my intention, in due course, to seek a dissolution of Dáil Eireann with a view to a General Election taking place on Friday, March 11 next,” he said.
In an address to the Dáil, he defended his Government’s record, stating that he believed history I believe that history will show that the Government had worked hard in the national interest to implement difficult but necessary decisions.
Post a Comment