Rabbitte reaction:Tánaiste Michael McDowell has effectively accused Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of being economical with the truth, but has been compelled by his parliamentary colleagues to stay in Government, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte claimed.
Speaking outside Loughlinstown hospital in Co Dublin, he told reporters that "Mr McDowell tried to persuade his colleagues that in order to save their own political skins that they should walk out of Government.
"Clearly Mr McDowell was defeated by his parliamentary colleagues but in the process he has done serious damage to Mr Ahern and it is now a matter for Mr Ahern whether or not he is going to make the complete definitive statement sought by the Tánaiste."
He said Mr McDowell "like the Grand Old Duke of York had to lead his dishevelled troops back down the hill and in the process has seriously wounded the Taoiseach's credibility for the office of Taoiseach, and the Taoiseach would now be expected by most of the public to make a clear, public statement".
He added that the Tánaiste's remarks concerning Mr Ahern's financial affairs were extremely damaging for the Government. Notwithstanding that, he has decided as it says on the poster not to throw it all away.
"I find it very difficult to see how such a charge can be made against the Taoiseach without the Tánaiste telling us on what information he bases this," Mr Rabbitte added.
"The PD Ministers have decided to put clothes pegs on their noses and stay in there," he said.
The Labour leader was at the hospital to highlight pledges made by the Taoiseach exactly five years ago to end hospital waiting lists within two years.
He said the party could not get to discuss priority issues "because of the extraordinary drama playing out at Government buildings".
Mr Rabbitte rejected suggestions that Green Party leader Trevor Sargent was the only person who asked the Taoiseach to make a statement. He said he had repeatedly stated that the Taoiseach was the only one who could make a definitive statement and if he didn't do that the people would draw their own conclusions.
He claimed Government Ministers were " running around like bluebottles".
Mr Rabbitte had "never heard a Minister for Justice searching out a journalist to give him information that would give him an excuse to leave Government and the journalist then saying today that there was nothing new in what he handed over and that there was no smoking gun".
Asked if he felt the Opposition was being increasingly sidelined, he said: "You can't put out a story yesterday that he has been disturbed by information he has received from a journalist and then not tell us what the information is. The journalist himself tells us there's no smoking gun and here we all are discussing it."
