FIANNA FÁIL backbench TDs have no major difficulties with the policies and direction of Government, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.
Mr Cowen yesterday strongly rejected the contention that his party’s TDs were unhappy with him or his Government. He said there had been a confidence motion in the Government last week for which Fianna Fáil TDs had shown “great discipline and unity of purpose”.
“We have a job to do, it’s a difficult job and we have to get on with it and that’s what the people expect. We are going to provide a government for the next two years and continue with bringing about recovery in our economy and try and provide more jobs for our people and that’s what people expect us to do,” he said.
Mr Cowen indicated that the internal struggle for control of Fine Gael last week did not mean that comparisons could be made.
“There are other situations that will always attract media attention and it is not for us to consider that, it is for us to get on with our job.”
Mr Cowen also defended the Government against criticism of its budget on capital spending.
“We have committed to another €40 billion in spending over the next six years on capital projects because we have to continue to invest in our roads and our schools and our hospitals.
“We have to try and make sure that we provide the best possible services for our people given the amount of money and resources that are now available. We will continue to do that and we welcome the input of trade unions and congress their social partners and we want to continue with that work.
“The spend that we are continuing with on capital projects is twice what it is in Europe despite the very difficult financial situation we have because we have to continue to invest,” he said.