Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has told Taoiseach Brian Cowen he should call a general election in the wake of Jim McDaid’s resignation from the Dáil.
Mr Kenny told the Dáil this afternoon that Dr McDaid had been an advocate of an election for some time.
“We now have an unprecedented, and quite bizarre, quite Gubu situation indeed whereby the number of vacant seats now exceeds the working majority of the Government,” he added.
“This is bad for democracy, very anti-democratic, and smacks of cowardice of Government in failing to allow the people to have their mandate in respect of the constituencies where the vacancies are or in respect of the people giving a national verdict on this Government.”
Mr Cowen wished Dr McDaid well, adding he had been a colleague and friend of his for many years.
The Government’s intention, said Mr Cowen, was to do its job and duty at this time.
He urged Mr Kenny to “desist from suggesting that the authority of this Taoiseach is any different from any other, including one he served under himself”.