LABOUR HAS no plans to raise the issue of a revolving taoiseach during the next election campaign, party leader Eamon Gilmore said yesterday.
He told reporters he had never suggested that a revolving taoiseach would be a condition for Labour entering government after the next election.
“It is not about offices or revolving anything. It is about offering the people of the country an alternative choice. The people want to take this country back from a cabal of bankers and developers,” said Mr Gilmore.
He said that the sooner the next election could be held the better as it was obvious that Fianna Fáil and the six Green Party TDs were intent on holding on to power for as long as possible.
“At this stage it is a matter of clinging on to office because they have lost the confidence of the people,” said Mr Gilmore.
He was speaking in advance of a rally in Dublin’s Temple Bar to celebrate Labour’s performance in the local and European elections.
At the rally Mr Gilmore said that June 5th had been a remarkable day in the history of the Labour Party with the election of three MEPs, 132 city and county councillors and 84 town councillors. “The results of June 5th show again that seats are not won in the last three weeks of the campaign.
“These seats were won by the enormous effort put in by candidates and their supporters over the past year, the doors canvassed in dark winter nights, the leaflets given out in shopping centres on Saturday mornings during spring, the many meetings attended.
“In the same way the next general election will not be won or lost in the period between the dissolution of the Dáil and polling day. That is why, for us, the general election campaign must begin today,” he said.
The Labour leader added that every single voter in the country had to be given the opportunity to vote for change in the next election – not just a change of faces but a change of policy and direction.
“The economic disaster that Fianna Fáil has created has sapped national morale and left a dark cloud of uncertainty over the country. People who have lost their jobs wonder if they will ever work again. Those in jobs are fearful of being made redundant. Families are fearful of losing their homes. Parents worry about the future of their children,” he said.
Mr Gilmore added that the Labour Party would continue to call the Government to account but also continue to produce positive policy proposals that offered an alternative approach.
“Throughout the economic crisis and particularly throughout the recent election campaign we put jobs and the real economy at the forefront of political debate. We will continue to spell out the steps that must be taken to restore confidence in our people.
“We can and will recover from this recession. But recovery will be delayed as long as this demoralised and discredited Government clings to office.
“The sooner we have a change of government with a fresh mandate to implement Labour Party policies the sooner we can put their country on the road to recovery,” said Mr Gilmore.
