EXPRESSING CONFIDENCE that the budget would be passed by the Dáil, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said this would demonstrate that Ireland was prepared to make the adjustments necessary to return to growth.
Speaking to reporters in Donegal town yesterday, Mr Cowen said the State had funding arrangements in place until the middle of next year and there were “other mechanisms” available after that time.
Mr Cowen was canvassing support for Fianna Fáil candidate Senator Brian Ó Dómhnaill in the November 25th byelection in Donegal South West. His schedule yesterday included Bundoran, Ballyshannon, Donegal town and Ballybofey.
“This weekend we have a lot of activity going on. We have over 100 cumainn [party branches] in this constituency, all active. There is the full support of the organisation for our candidate,” Mr Cowen said.
Nominations closed at noon yesterday and candidates had 24 hours to take their names off the ballot paper before the list is confirmed. Six candidates have officially declared: Mr Ó Dómhnaill for Fianna Fáil, Senator Pearse Doherty for Sinn Féin, Cllr Barry O’Neill for Fine Gael and Cllr Frank McBrearty for Labour, with two Independents, Cllr Thomas Pringle and Anne Sweeney.
Asked what he was saying to ordinary voters in the constituency about the State’s economic future, Mr Cowen said: “We need to ensure that we have a four-year plan that’s credible, that will confirm the confidence that people can have in the direction the country will be taking over the coming four years, that we are absolutely determined to continue on with the adjustments that we’ve been doing since mid-2008, that we’ll be two-thirds of the way through the adjustments by the end of next year if we pass a budget.
“I’m confident that a budget will be passed and that people will be able to see that this country is prepared to make whatever adjustments are necessary to return growth to the economy as quickly as possible.”
Asked about the four-year plan, Mr Cowen said: “In coming weeks it will be finalised and then we will deal with it, and then we’ll have the budget”.
Asked to comment on reports, citing eurozone sources, that negotiations were going on behind the scenes for emergency funding for Ireland from the EU, he said: “We have made no application whatever for funding.
“As the Minister for Finance has outlined, we have funding up to mid-year because of the pre-funding arrangements done by the National Treasury Management Agency.”
Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore will visit the constituency today to support the campaign of Mr McBrearty.
