Burton says Labour will contest election as independent party

Tánaiste Joan Burton has said Labour will contest the election as an independent party but indicated “achievements” the Government parties had worked on collectively would be highlighted during the campaign.

Her comments come after Fine Gael tied its political fortunes firmly to its Labour Coalition partners at the weekend.

Asked if she would consider a pre-election pact with Fine Gael, Ms Burton said the Labour Party would be going before the electorate as an independent party.

“But like Fine Gael we will be bringing our record in government to the Irish people and we will be asking the Irish people to make a judgement on what kind of a government do they want and how much greater recovery do they want,” she said.

She said what she described as “populist” politicians on the Left had criticised the Government’s economic strategy, but they had been wrong.

“I think the Government and both parties in it have achievements that we will want to bring to the people that we’ve worked on collectively but the Labour Party will be going into the election as an independent party.”

Asked if she thought Labour's poll ratings would be better if Eamon Gilmore was still leader, Ms Burton said she was enjoying being leader.

“I never thought it was going to be a bed of roses,” she added.

However, she said she was confident the Labour Party had “a very good story to tell” about its time in government.

“As we turn to the election, I think the Irish people are very fair. I expect them to have a look at the different political parties and then to make their decision in terms of what’s best for them and for their family and their community.”

She was speaking to reporters at Government Buildings after welcoming the latest employment figures, which showed unemployment decreased by 15.6 per cent last year, reducing the number of jobless people to 213,600 at year end.