Coalition will run full term, says Lenihan

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan today claimed that opposition parties have not put forward coherent policies on how they would tackle the economic crisis.

Mr Lenihan's comments come after the latest Irish Times /Ipsos MRBI poll shows that a large number of voters do not want either Brian Cowen or Enda Kenny as taoiseach, but would like to see a general election called this year.

The comments also follow the publication of two reports into the banking crisis which were highly critical of the Government's economic policies.

Speaking this morning following the latest poll results, Mr Lenihan repeated comments made by Taoiseach Brian Cowen yesterday that the coalition was elected over a five year period and would run its full term.

Mr Lenihan also said the Taoiseach still has the full backing of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party ahead of a Dáil confidence motion due to be debated next week.

Elsewhere, Sinn Féin party president Gerry Adams said a Fine Gael/Labour coalition would not deliver the changes Ireland needs.

Speaking during a break at the Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle, which is being held in Dublin today, Mr Adams said the banking reports published this week exposed the Government's central role in the creation of the economic crisis.

He said people clearly wanted change but said a Fine Gael/Labour coalition "will not address the deep-rooted inequalities at the heart of Irish society or tackle the vested interests that have caused so much hardship to so many ordinary people."

Offered the choice of the Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael leader as taoiseach, 40 per cent of voters said in an unprompted response that they did not want either in the job, the latest Irish Times/ /Ipsos MRBI poll shows.

A total of 30 per cent favoured Mr Kenny for the taoiseach's office while 21 per cent favoured Mr Cowen and 9 per cent had no opinion.