Labour Party press conference:Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has claimed that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern "slunk" up to Áras an Uachtaráin in the early hours of the morning to seek a dissolution of the Dáil from President Mary McAleese.
When asked if he was surprised the election was called yesterday morning, Mr Rabbitte said: "Not really, but I was surprised at the manner in which it was called. It's not customary to be getting text messages at 5.30 on a Sunday morning. Kind of odd behaviour, but I'm very glad it's under way."
He said the Taoiseach had "slunk up to the park in the early hours of this morning - it's a bit unusual". Mr Ahern's party colleagues expected the election to be called for May 17th and Mr Rabbitte claimed the Taoiseach had "chickened out" and "dithered" over the matter.
Speaking to journalists during an election walkabout on Dublin's Grafton Street, he criticised the decision by his Labour counterpart in Britain, prime minister Tony Blair, to invite the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to address the houses of parliament at Westminster in the course of the election campaign.
Mr Rabbitte said: "It was odd of Mr Blair to invite him to address the House of Commons in the middle of an election campaign here but it's one of the privileges that comes with being Taoiseach, I suppose." When asked if he regarded Mr Blair's invitation as "a favour for an old pal", Mr Rabbitte replied: "I do, yes."
At a news conference later in Labour's election headquarters on Lower Baggot Street, Mr Rabbitte said the Progressive Democrats were claiming to be "the secret ingredient of success" but they were, in fact, "the secret ingredient of selfishness".
When it was put to him that PD leader Michael McDowell and himself were the two alternative candidates for the position of tánaiste, Mr Rabbitte responded: "Why is it obvious that Michael McDowell is an alternative tánaiste?"
He continued: "The only thing we know for certain is that Fianna Fáil and the PDs haven't the remotest chance in hell of providing the government." He said Green Party leader Trevor Sargent seemed a more likely prospect as tánaiste, "if Fianna Fáil were to take on board Sinn Féin and then get the support of the Greens".
Asked whether it was appropriate for the Mahon tribunal to conduct its hearings on the conduct of the Taoiseach while an election campaign was under way, Mr Rabbitte said: "Many Irish people may see it that way. I certainly don't want to intrude into whatever the chairman of the tribunal decides and it's a matter for him entirely."
Rejecting speculation that there would not be a clearcut result after the election, he said: "I think there will be a clear outcome. I think there is a broad, clear mood for change. I have been saying that for some weeks. It is evident on the doorsteps and in the supermarkets."
Prior to the news conference, Mr Rabbitte started a digital "Countdown to Change" clock set to reach zero on May 24th.
