“I think we have helped to move the agenda of rural Ireland up the pecking order,” Naughten said yesterday.
Wednesday’s vote saw Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Ruth Coppinger of the Anti-Austerity Alliance all fail to secure enough votes to be the next Taoiseach. Naughten and other Independent TDs, except for Michael Lowry, who voted in favour of Enda Kenny, abstained from the vote.
“It was with a heavy heart we abstained from the vote,” Naughten told the Irish Farmers Journal
“It wouldn’t be good for establishing a partnership government if we were to go in and vote against both parties. We have very much looked at this from a constructive point of view from the outset.”
Naughten also believes as long as there is a majority government, the issue of Taoiseach is not important.
“I am not really pushed on what they can do it; they can have a Siege of Ennis Taoiseach for all I care. I think it is important though that the government of the day have a working majority.” Naughten continues.
“Having looked at the figures that are available in relation to the budgets for next year and the year after, I think it requires a majority government.
“We will not get through the next two budgets unless we have a government with a working majority. I don’t believe that a minority government will succeed in doing that,” he added.
Naughten, previously a member of Fine Gael, lost the party whip over the closure of services in Roscommon hospital in 2011.
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Rural affairs minister needed as gap with urban Ireland increases - rural TDs
“I think we have helped to move the agenda of rural Ireland up the pecking order,” Naughten said yesterday.
Wednesday’s vote saw Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Ruth Coppinger of the Anti-Austerity Alliance all fail to secure enough votes to be the next Taoiseach. Naughten and other Independent TDs, except for Michael Lowry, who voted in favour of Enda Kenny, abstained from the vote.
“It was with a heavy heart we abstained from the vote,” Naughten told the Irish Farmers Journal
“It wouldn’t be good for establishing a partnership government if we were to go in and vote against both parties. We have very much looked at this from a constructive point of view from the outset.”
Naughten also believes as long as there is a majority government, the issue of Taoiseach is not important.
“I am not really pushed on what they can do it; they can have a Siege of Ennis Taoiseach for all I care. I think it is important though that the government of the day have a working majority.” Naughten continues.
“Having looked at the figures that are available in relation to the budgets for next year and the year after, I think it requires a majority government.
“We will not get through the next two budgets unless we have a government with a working majority. I don’t believe that a minority government will succeed in doing that,” he added.
Naughten, previously a member of Fine Gael, lost the party whip over the closure of services in Roscommon hospital in 2011.
Read more
Rural affairs minister needed as gap with urban Ireland increases - rural TDs
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