The recent announcements by some Fianna Fáil ministers that they are retiring are acts of 'unprecedented cowardice' according to Fine Gael.
Alan Shatter, the party’s spokesman on justice, said these ministers were 'intent on securing for themselves maximum financial benefit for their time in public life.'
“It seems a decreasing number intend to stand before the electorate to be judged on their time in Government. Instead we are seeing a stampede to retirement of a succession of Fianna Fáil former and current Ministers and an assortment of formerly ambitious backbenchers intent on securing for themselves maximum financial benefit for their time in public life," he said.
He called for the Taoiseach to dissolve the Dáil next month in order for a General Election to take place.
"if Brian Cowen had a remaining vestige of political decency and integrity, he would announce a halt to all Government appointments until a new Government was elected to office," he added.
“We are witnessing Fianna Fáil and Green Ministers in the dying days of this Government, engaged in an orgy of unaccountable appointments to posts in State agencies and bodies of friends and supporters. This Government is rapidly resembling the madhatter’s tea party, “ he said.
Mr Shatter said that recent events had 'starkly illustrated' Fianna Fáil’s bankrupt sense of morality and contempt for the general public
"It is very much a spectacle of the Fianna Fáil failers abandoning the sinking Fianna Fáil ship."