Party will only fulfil potential under new leader, says Bruton

CHALLENGE:FINE GAEL'S former deputy leader Richard Bruton said the party could only realise its potential under a new leader and there was momentum in the party for change.

Asked if he thought party leader Enda Kenny should resign, Mr Bruton said he had expressed that “from the very start” and said he still believed the party needed a change of leadership. A vote on a motion of confidence in Mr Kenny is scheduled for today.

“My message to Enda Kenny is obviously that I would prefer if this motion didn’t have to go ahead, a lot of people thought that this could be resolved internally, but a vote is now to be held and I think that will go ahead,” he said.

“I believe the momentum is behind a change but I’m not going to be lecturing Enda Kenny about his approach. I believe that the momentum for change is there.” Mr Bruton described Fine Gael as a “mature political party of professional people” which would unite after a decision was made.

Mr Bruton was speaking on the plinth outside Leinster House yesterday evening.

He was accompanied by the nine front bench members who said they had no confidence in Mr Kenny’s leadership on Tuesday: Simon Coveney; Denis Naughten; Olwyn Enright; Olivia Mitchell; Fergus O’Dowd; Michael Creed, Billy Timmins; Leo Varadkar; and Brian Hayes.

Also present were Donegal North East TD Joe McHugh and Pat Breen of Clare.

In a statement distributed by Breda Brown, PR director of Unique Media, Mr Bruton said he had “made all the right calls in the past”, both as a minister and in opposition.

“As leader I’ll do so again and only as leader can I make the right thing happen for our country,” he said. “The leader of a party must be capable of clearly portraying this vision of a different but authentic Ireland, developing it to its full, and winning the faith and confidence of the people for the journey to get there.

“I have the track record and the judgment necessary to deliver that task. I was the only political voice to clearly signal the damage that the bubble economy was creating for our people and our finances.”

Mr Bruton said his first loyalty was to the people of Ireland. “They have lost so much due to failed politics. We must make our country secure again. When we do this, we will do so much for our people,” he said.