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Irish PM says not to resign

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Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said on Monday night that he did not intend to resign over the financial bailout the country is facing.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen addresses a press conference at the Government Buildings in Dublin, Ireland, Nov. 22, 2010. Cowen declared on Monday he won't resign because he is determined to pass an emergency four-year budget. The Irish Green Party, member of the coalition government, appealed early on Monday to dissolve the parliament in January for an early election, after the government confirmed accepting a massive EU-IMF bailout for the country's debt crisis. [Zeng Yi/Xinhua]

Cowen told a news conference here that there is no plan to call a snap election, and Ireland's interests come first.

He said: "There are times when the imperative of serving the national interest transcends other concerns including party political and personal concerns."

Cowen said the vital national interests of this country require that financial stability be achieved by publishing a 4-year plan which sets out how the necessary 15-billion-euro adjustments will be implemented by 2014, by adopting a budget which effects a 6- billion-euro adjustment in 2011, by taking the necessary legislative and other measures to give effect to the terms of the budget, and by concluding negotiations of a program for support from the EU, the ECB and the IMF.

He said that it is a matter of the highest importance that the parliament should continue to consider enacting the relevant measures and that the government should continue to discharge its obligations to bring forward the necessary proposals.

"We believe that there is a clear duty on all members of the parliament to facilitate the passage of these measures in the uniquely serious circumstances," Cowen said.

But the prime minister said that he will call for a dissolution of parliament after budget goes through, and stressed that a delayed budget would put the country in grave danger.

He said: "It is my intention at the conclusion of the budgetary process, with the enactment of the necessary legislation in the new year, to then seek a dissolution of Dail Eireann (the House of Representatives) and to enable the people to determine who should undertake the responsibilities of government in the challenging period ahead."

The Irish government is to publish a four-year budgetary plan on Wednesday and is drawing up an austerity budget to be unveiled on Dec. 7.

Cowen on Sunday night confirmed that Ireland and the EU have agreed on a financial rescue package, and the move could result in "tens of billions" of euros being made available to Ireland to keep the country afloat and to stabilize Irish banks.

Ireland's Green Party, a partner in the government's coalition, on Monday called for an early general election in the second half of January next year.

Green Party's leader John Gormley said: "The past week has been a traumatic one for the Irish electorate. People feel misled and betrayed."

"We have now reached a point where the Irish people need political certainty to take them beyond the coming two months," he added.

He called on Cowen and his Party Fianna Fail to pass an emergency budget next month, and then dissolve parliament early next year.

The call was echoed by the two main opposition parties, Fine Gael and the Labor Party.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said in a statement: "What is needed now is an immediate general election so that a new government, with a clear parliamentary majority, can prepare the four-year economic plan, complete negotiations with the EU and IMF, and frame a budget for 2011."

Labor leader Eamon Gilmore also said it was "essential that we have a new government elected as soon as possible."