Labour TD McNamara: Gilmore's leadership now in question
Labour TD Michael McNamara has told Clare FM at the Clare count centre that today’s election does clearly cause Eamon Gilmore’s leadership to be brought into question.
In a radio interview with Clare FM’s John Cooke at Treacy’s West County Hotel, Deputy McNamara said: "I think Eamon is going to have prove his mettle now. It does clearly cause his leadership to be brought into question.”
He added: "I have always said that the leadership of the Labour party is not limited to Eamon Gilmore. We have five Ministers at Cabinet and each and every one of them have to take responsibility for this."
He added: "As a collective, as a party, we now have to sit back. We now have to think what it is we want to achieve in the next two years.”
Deputy McNamara pointed out: "I don’t think it is enough to say we stopped ‘x’ happening or stopped ‘y’ happening. It is what is we want to be able to say that we achieved as Labour party in government.”
He said: "When two-thirds of the people who voted for you three years ago are not prepared to vote for you today, as a democrat, you have to listen and re-assess."
Deputy McNamara said that he hoped Labour and Fine Gael would be in government by the end of the year and also expressed hope that Eamon Gilmore would be leader at year end.
He remarked: "But the Labour party is going to have to figure out what it is going to achieve in Government and Eamon Gilmore is going to have to show leadership."
