New Taoiseach will face daunting task - Daly

Brian Cowen’s lacklustre term as Minister for Finance will now be his inheritance according to Cllr Richard Daly of Fine Gael.

“With an economy in tatters, a huge deficit in infrastructural development and tax revenue at its lowest in years Brian Cowen faces a very challenging time

Very little skills were required of a Minister of Finance who presided over tax receipts which exceeded anybody’s expectation over the past ten years. Future planning and developing infrastructure in schools and hospitals were neglected while the good times rolled. Increasing social welfare payments and pensions were the short term solutions instead of developing a greater knowledge economy and building on the successes of the past.

His lacklustre term as Finance Minister will now be his inheritance as Taoiseach. As he takes over the reins of power a year after an election which promised all, he is faced with a National Development plan which requires the finance which no longer flows in from tax revenue in the same volume. The hospitals, schools and garda resources which were overlooked during the good times are in a more needy situation years on.

Wage negotiations which require restraint are hard to preside over when you have just sanctioned yourself a serious increase.”

“For the sake of our country I wish the new Taoiseach well and hope that he has hidden talents to steer the economy through the ominous conditions ahead. I also hope that our neglected part of the midlands will benefit by having a neighbour at the helm” said cllr Daly