THE CONSENSUS talks process between Government and Opposition parties was now at an end, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said at Leinster House last night.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, he said: “This particular exercise is now over. There are clearly differences between the approach of the Labour Party and the Government in relation to budgetary strategy.
“It is our view that Fianna Fáil got the country into this economic mess; clearly the Taoiseach doesn’t agree with that. It is our view that the Government mishandled the banking situation which has resulted in increased financial difficulties for the country; clearly the Taoiseach doesn’t agree with that.”
“I think it is fair to say that the expectations that there was going to be some kind of consensus on the budget, that that is not going to happen.
“And to be fair I’m not sure it was ever actually intended to happen because the Taoiseach did confirm to us that it is the Government’s intention itself to bring forward its budget.”
The Taoiseach had confirmed that the commitment of both main Opposition parties to the target of a 3 per cent deficit by 2014 “will be helpful in relation to the country’s international reputation”.
But Mr Gilmore added: “There was no new agreement, and there are no arrangements to have any further meetings of this kind.”
The Labour leader said: “It was a useful meeting. There was a very direct exchange of views in relation to the budgetary and economic and political situation. Obviously, the arrangements which have been in place for some time whereby finance spokespersons will be briefed – that will continue.”
Asked if he felt Mr Cowen was genuinely engaging with himself and Mr Kenny and not just going through the motions, he said: “There was a good, constructive meeting, and a very direct and frank exchange of opinions and views.”
He added that “in the course of the discussion there was a lot of talk about the national interest and our different ‘takes’ on the national interest”.
“The Taoiseach acknowledged that the Opposition parties and certainly the Labour Party have not been talking down the economy. Certainly we have criticisms of the way in which the Government have handled economic questions and the Taoiseach describes that as our ‘political differences’, but the Labour Party has never talked down the Irish economy and we won’t do so.”
