Cowen to make statement as President accepts resignations
Government chief whip John Curran has confirmed the Taoiseach Brian Cowen will make a statement in the Dáil in the next 15 minutes.
He also confirmed all six resignations had been accepted.
“The Dáil will be reconvened and at that stage the Taoiseach will be going into the Dáil himself,” Mr Curran told RTE.
The chief whip said the vacant ministerial positions will be reassigned.
Mr Curran added that he did not expect the Greens to pull out of Government.
Later, Mr Kenny said Mr Gormley should pull the plug on the coalition if he cannot secure an early election.
He claimed the ministerial resignations appeared to be orchestrated and planned for some time and the wool had been pulled over the Green leader’s eyes.
“The Greens have been sneered at, have been laughed at behind their backs by Fianna Fáil, and they can be taken for complete fools in the same way the main Government party are taking the people of the country,” he said.
Mr Kenny said he wrote to Mr Cowen yesterday suggesting a rejig of the Dáil schedule to allow the Finance Bill to be passed by February 10 to allow for an early election.
But he insisted his preference was for an election to be called immediately, adding that a new Government could pass the necessary budgetary measures.
Green Party TDs have refused to comment on the controversy as they entered Leinster House.
Earlier, one of the party’s outspoken backbenchers, Paul Gogarty, said the ministerial walkouts threatened to make a farce of government.
He said if he was an independent he would vote against any reshuffle.
“No matter what the motivations of the individuals concerned, appointing five new ministers at this critical juncture would smack of jobs for the boys and cosmetic surgery for endangered candidates in need of a makeover,” said Mr Gogarty.
“To do so would show a serious lack of political judgment, a lack of empathy for what the people of Ireland are going through and of course may have unintended consequences.”
Mr Gogarty said the departure of Ms Harney, a former Tánaiste and Progressive Democrat leader, was expected while Mr Martin‘s resignation had been honourable.
