Outgoing Labour TD Pat Rabbitte has yet again taken another swipe at the Fianna Fail party for their role in the economic collapse during their time in charge. Mr Rabbitte made his comments whilst being interviewed by Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio today recently, the long standing Labour party TD also strongly defended the coalition’s handling of the economic downturn claiming that he and his fellow TD’s have helped turn the country around.
Mr Rabbitte told Mr O’Rourke: “You can hammer me all you like about the sins of the past but surely we deserve some credit for changing the mistakes made by the previous government.” “It was Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan that drove the ship up on the rocks. Labour didn’t. The damage was done long before that. “The crash was by Fianna Fail and we came to the rescue and you want to criticise the ambulance man because we didn’t get there in time.”
Mr Rabbitte further explained: “We didn’t do everything right but we have turned around the country.” “Given the hand of cards that we were dealt, we have played them as expertly and as carefully as could be expected in the circumstances.”
The ever controversial TD also said he would happily continue on in his political career if he was currently a government minister, Mr Rabbitte repeatedly insisted that the coalition deserved credit were it was due by saying: “We have made progress all along the line. We have greatly mitigated our debt burden.” “We have put 100,000 additional people back to work and the economy is reforming at twice the rate of any other economy.”
The retiring TD’s outburst comes as rumors are circulating that he is currently in negotiations with media tycoon Dennis O’Brien to take up a position as radio talk show host once his political career is over, however the well known outspoken TD has denied the rumors saying that he has no intention of taking any position in the media whatsoever.
The 66 year old refuted the claims by telling the talk show host of his plans after his retirement, Mr Rabbite said: “I’m going to go working for the people of Dublin South West for the next 10 months as I have always done.”
“As soon as that is up I will scratch my head and look up at the sky for the first time in 44 years and have a bit of time to reflect. I have absolutely nothing lined up.”