George Lee and Enda Kenny were branded as ‘Genda’, Fine Gael’s answer to the X Factor’s ‘Jedward’, at the Ógra Fianna Fáil National Youth Conference in Bundoran, Co Donegal last weekend.
More than 500 young people from across the country attended the conference, which carried the theme ‘Renewal’, over the course of the weekend.
Outgoing chair of Ógra Fianna Fáil, Minister for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary, told the Ógra delegates that the Fine Gael party leader and Dublin TD are as ‘uncoordinated’ as Jedward. “George Lee and Enda Kenny are like Fine Gael’s answer to John and Edward — ‘Genda’,” he said. “Their performances on the banking issue have been as chaotic and uncoordinated as some of Jedward’s dancing duets — but it will take more than Simon Cowell to save ‘Genda’.
“Jedward are clearly loved by many people across Ireland and the UK for bringing a bit of fun into the X Factor and for putting 100 per cent effort behind the goal they are trying to achieve. While ‘Genda’, on the other hand, tours around Ireland singing the same old tune, claiming to have all the answers,” Minister Calleary scoffed.
“On the banking issue they claim to be vigourously opposed to NAMA yet they missed a vital vote on the NAMA legislation in the Dáil last week because they were too preoccupied singing their own praises to business groups around the country.”
Minister Calleary told the delegates that the guest speakers at the 2009 Fianna Fáil National Youth Conference showed that Fianna Fáil are open to ideas, suggestions and to challenges, in a way that the opposition has yet to show.
“We have heard from Google’s John O’Herlihy, the woman entrepreneur of the year Maureen Shah, and from businessman and star of Dragon’s Den, Sean Gallagher, himself a former member of Ógra Fianna Fáil.
“To those who are writing the obituary of this party I say put down your pens, this party is alive and kicking and this conference in Bundoran, and the continually growing Ógra organisation, are the proof of it.
“We will take our lead from the man who continues to put on the Irish jersey to fight for Ireland, An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, and not Fine Gael’s ‘Genda’,” concluded Minister Dara Calleary.
