Taoiseach Brian Cowen has ruled out providing Government time for a Labour motion of no confidence in the Coalition.
The motion will now be taken during Labour Private Member’s time in the Dáil next week.
Challenging Mr Cowen to provide Government time, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said in the Dáil today that several of the Taoiseach’s parliamentary colleagues had voted no confidence in him yesterday.
“He has said repeatedly that he will remain Taoiseach as long as he and the Government have the confidence of the House," Mr Gilmore added. “Let us put it to the test.”
Mr Cowen said the motion could be taken in Labour’s own time, adding he was confident he would enjoy the confidence of the Dáil when it was put.
Fine Gael, said the Taoiseach, thought the Labour motion was “stupid”.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny replied that he had not challenged the intellectual capacity of the Labour leader. “I said the motion was ill-timed and ill-judged,” he added.
Mr Cowen replied: “I could not agree more with the deputy. I knew a day would come when Deputy Kenny would realise that a no confidence motion in the Government was ill-timed and ill-judged”.