Cowen running scared on confidence vote

Posted on June 10, 2010

Despite a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD did not see fit to turn up to the Dáil today.

Speaking to the House the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD said: "We are now in the unusual situation that the two [banking] reports, one of which is from the Governor of the Central Bank, which criticises in very damning terms the performance of the Government and of the Taoiseach, can be discussed everywhere in the country except in the House of Parliament."

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Gilmore slams proposal for farcical Dáil sittings

Posted on June 03, 2010

"Let me call this what it is, namely, pretence that the Dáil will be doing normal business next week. The Government is making a mockery of the Dáil and is running away from its responsibilities," Eamon Gilmore, Leader of the Labour Party told the House this morning.

He was referring to the fact that the outstanding by-elections and referendum on the rights of children were anticipated to be held next week, however, Eamon told the House that the Government does not want to hold the elections as it is "afraid of facing the people".

"It is quite a cynical position on the part of the Government in terms of it being prepared to sacrifice the welfare of children to protect its own political hide."

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Gilmore continues to press the Taoiseach for answers on the deaths of children in care

Posted on May 26, 2010

In the Dáil today the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD continued to press the Taoiseach for answers on the deaths of children in care.

"Why is the Government still not in a position to say how many children died in the care of the State over the last 10 years?

Gilmore told the House that it was one thing to say the files cannot be handed over for legal reasons but quite a different thing that the numbers of deaths are not known. He went on to question the Taoiseach about the legal difficulties regarding sending files to the inquiry team in relation to the cases.

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It is incredible the Government doesn't know the number of deaths of children in care, Gilmore

Posted on May 25, 2010

The Taoiseach's response about the deaths of children in care was described as 'incredible' by the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD.

"It is incredible the State is not in a position to tell us how many children have died in its care," Deputy Gilmore said speaking in today's Leaders' Questions in the Dail.

"If the number of children dying in care is as high as 200 in the past 10 years, an average of 20 per year, then it works out 10 to 12 times the mortality rate in the wider population.

"The Taoiseach tells us he does not know the number of children who have died in State care."

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'We need new foundations to help build a better country', Gilmore in the Irish Times

Posted on May 20, 2010

"We need new foundations to help build a better country," writes Eamon Gilmore in today's Irish Times.

In today's Irish Times the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore has an opinion piece entitled 'We need new foundations to help build a better country' as part of the Irish Times' 'Renewing the Republic' series, you can read it here.

What do you think? Do let us know in the comments section below.

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Brian Cowen and his Fianna Fail Government have ruined the Irish economy

Posted on May 19, 2010

Leaders' Questions in the Dáil today saw the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore challenge the Taoiseach on how he must take responsibility for the Irish economy which is at odds with the Taoiseach's recent claims that he had nothing to do with it.

"It is adding insult to injury for [the Taoiseach] to claim he had nothing do with it, it was all someone else's fault, he was not advised correctly, somebody else made certain proposals and so on. The fact is that his party is in Government for the last 13 years and he must take responsibility for what has happened."

Eamon went onto say how the records will show that Labour has identified various actions that should have been taken but were not.

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Gilmore challenges Cowen on attempts to doctor truth on Anglo

Posted on May 12, 2010

The continuing story of Anglo Irish Bank and the 'black hole' deficit that Fianna Fail has helped dig in the public finances was raised today in the Dáil during Leaders' Questions by the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD.

Eamon referred to a story published over the weekend in the Sunday Times concerning confidential internal Anglo minutes from February 2009 between the Central Bank and Anglo Irish Bank.

It states that the Dept of Finance told the then Chair of Anglo bank not to be too negative in a letter to shareholders relating to the banks 2008 annual report which was published after the bank was nationalised in early 2009. According to the article the department drafted a less negative version of the statement.

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Gilmore demands the Government set a date for by-elections

Posted on May 05, 2010

"Despite the fact that [Cowen] has lost the confidence odf the people and no longer has a mandate to govern, that he has no immediate intention of giving the people an opportunity, like the people of Britain will have tomorrow, of having their say," the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD told the Dáil today.

He pressed the Taoiseach on when he would allow the people of Donegal, south Dublin and Waterford a by-election.

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Gilmore challenges Cowen on decision to allow bankers to write their own legislation

Posted on April 28, 2010

This morning in Leaders' Questions the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD returned to the issues from when Brian Cowen was Minister for Finance and challenged him on an article published in the Irish Times on Monday which shows that bankers were involved in helping to draft legislation when the banking crisis hit.

During the exchange Eamon also suggested there is a conflict of interest in the appointment of Ernst & Young to unearth and pursue malpractices within Irish Nationwide, the same firm that acted as auditors to Anglo Irish Bank.

"Was the appointment of these people approved," Eamon asked.

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Gilmore continues to press Cowen on Nationwide

Posted on April 21, 2010

The issue of Irish Nationwide and "the scandalous way in which that building society conducted its business down the years" was once raised in the Dáil during Leaders' Questions this morning by the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD.

Pressing the Taoiseach about the matter Eamon said: "The building society was set up to give mortgages to house buyers, but instead, it was giving out great buckets of money to approximately 30 people in a process of rolling enrichment or at least that was the expectation.

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