Taoiseach rules out early election and wins confidence motion

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he would be the first to acknowledge the Government had not achieved all the objectives it set when taking office.

“We must and will learn from our mistakes,’’ he said. “We must also do better for the people in the future.’’

The Taoiseach was opening a three-hour debate on a motion of confidence in the Government and himself, which the Coalition won by 86 votes to 55.

Mr Kenny ruled out calling an election next year.

“I have no intention of creating any instability by calling a general election in 2015,’’ he added.

"And my preference for government, after the next election in 2016, is for the continuation of the Coalition that has restored our economic sovereignty, that is the Fine Gael and Labour parties.''

He said the people had voted the Government into power four years ago, asking it to do four things. These were to rescue the economy, resuscitate the banks, restore Ireland’s reputation and, above all, get people back to work.

"That time, Ireland was three months from running out of money; the Government faced the prospect of no cash for public services or salaries,'' he added. "At the same time, the economy was in freefall.''

Mr Kenny said the Government’s strategy was to deliver the country from the bailout, almost to the day a year ago, without the need for a second bailout or other conditional arrangements.

“We also took action to deal with the demons of Ireland’s cold and heartless past,’’ he added.

Tánaiste Joan Burton said there were plenty of naysayers who said the Taoiseach and herself would clash pretty much incessantly when she took over as Labour leader.

“I am happy to say we have demonstrated the opposite, quickly agreeing a statement of Government priorities which spelled out how we would work to secure and deepen the economic recovery in a manner felt in people’s daily lives,’’ she said.

She said the ongoing programme of economic repair would be accompanied by an equal emphasis on social repair and progress.

Ms Burton said the Taoiseach was a man of integrity who had nothing other than Ireland's best interests at heart.

“The trust at the centre of the Government has created the room for vigorous debate on policy that need not be taken as a crisis every time there is disagreement,’’ she added.

Vigorous debate

“We had plenty of vigorous debate in advance of the budget but, in the end, agreed a package that met our mutual objectives as laid down in the statement of Government priorities.’’

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, one of a number of Government speakers who criticised Sinn Féin, said the party had set itself up as judge and jury in moving a motion of no confidence in Mr Kenny and the Government last week.

“Sinn Féin talks about transparency and fairness and new politics and, of course, their Ireland of equals, yet protects their own hard men, some of whom are rapists and child abusers,’’ he added.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald said the one-sided narrative, presented by Sinn Féin and others, was that in some way the Government decided to impose tough decisions on its own people for the sake of it.

“Not so,’’ she said. “Instead this Government, led by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, took tough decisions in order to save Ireland from the consequences of economic collapse.’’