A GENERAL election will take place on February 25th following the dissolution of the 30th Dáil by President McAleese on the advice of Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
In a farewell speech, announcing that an election was to take place, Mr Cowen called for a respectful debate on the State’s future during the campaign.
“This election will define our economic future and decide whether Ireland moves forward from this recession, prolongs it or succumbs to it.
“I urge the people to examine the policies being advanced by each of the parties and to cast their vote accordingly. This election should not be about personalities but serious debate, reflection and the solemn business of democracy,” he said.
Mr Cowen, who is not standing again in the Laois-Offaly constituency, will remain as Taoiseach until a replacement is elected by the new Dáil, which will meet at noon on Wednesday, March 9th.
“It has been a privilege to serve the people of Ireland in our Government. In every Department that I have served, my overriding objective was to do my best by the Irish people,” said Mr Cowen.
“Politics is public service and it is an honourable profession. I say this with sincerity, conviction and from experience. I have no time for the cynics who talk down or belittle people in public life,” he added.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny wished Mr Cowen and his family well on his retirement from politics.
“Despite strongly disagreeing with many Government policies that the Taoiseach and his party have pursued, I have no doubt about his integrity as a person or as a politician,” he added.
Mr Kenny said that he had listened to the people of the country over the past few years and he understood the depth of anger felt all over Ireland by those who had lost their jobs, their homes and their loved ones to emigration.
“Their anger is real and proper, but it will not get Ireland working again. In this election, we are offering them a chance to turn their anger into action,” said Mr Kenny.
The Fine Gael leader emphasised his commitment to keeping taxes low. “I know that high taxes kill jobs. We will keep taxes, particularly income taxes, down. No country has ever taxed its way to economic recovery.”
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said that for the first time in the 90-year history of the State people had a chance to elect a government that was led by neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael but by his party.
“It is clear that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are comfortable with each other’s policies. They both voted for the blanket bank guarantee. They are both happy to embrace austerity – to line up behind the EU-IMF deal, whatever the cost in jobs. It is clear that neither has any wish to break up the Celtic Tory consensus that has brought us to where we are,” he said.
Green Party leader John Gormley said he was proud of his party’s achievements in Government with Fianna Fáil and cited civil partnership, new housing regulations and the reform of financial regulation.
He called for political reform with a reduction in the number of TDs to 120 and a new electoral system with 60 TDs elected from single-seat constituencies and another 60 elected on a list system.
Sinn Féin leader in the House, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the outgoing Government was one of the worst at any time, anywhere in the world and had made disastrous decision, particularly in relation to banking. He called on all parties to make it clear the EU-IMF deal was not fair or acceptable.
Following the short debate, which lasted less than an hour, Mr Cowen travelled to Áras an Uachtaráin. President McAleese issued a short statement saying that pursuant to an advice of the Taoiseach under Article 13.2 of the Constitution she had dissolved Dáil Éireann and summoned the incoming Dáil to meet on Wednesday, March 9th at noon.
Later, Minister for Local Government Éamon Ó Cuív made an order appointing February 25th as polling day, with voting to take place between the hours of 7am and 10pm.
Nominations will close at noon on Wednesday, February 9th and candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations up to noon on Thursday, February 10th. Over 3.1 million people will be entitled to vote.
In a statement last night, the Taoiseach said that the Government would not be making any appointments to State bodies in advance of vacancies occurring.
Expressing concern at unfounded reports about the intentions of the Government regarding appointments to State agencies, Mr Cowen said he had proposed to the Government meeting yesterday that it confirm publicly its commitment to applying best practice to the making of such appointments.
“The Government will not consider making appointments in advance of vacancies occurring. Where vacancies have arisen, appointments will not be made where it is clearly necessary to consider changes in structure or function, in which case these will fall to be considered by an incoming administration,” he said.
