The Cathaoirleach of Cashel’s Ógra Fianna Fáil says his party should not even be considering going into any coalition with Fine Gael.
Paudie Taylor says that such a move would “dilute [the party’s] founding ideals.”
It comes as further talks will be held between the two parties this week with work continuing on a document that would outline how a coalition might function.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier, Paudie says that should not happen:
“It was an election promise. Micheál Martin said that change is needed, and going into government with Fine Gael is not change.
“I believe that Fine Gael is a party with no social conscience. They stood over nine years of spiralling rent and insurance costs, upwards on 10,000 people homeless, scandals like the cervical cancer scandal, and our healthcare system in crisis, among other things.”
The group’s full statement reads:
“As government talks are intensifying, we want to categorically state that we are totally against a coalition with Fine Gael. As a republican party that cherishes our values of equality and fairness a coalition with Fine Gael would totally dilute our founding ideals. Fine Gael is a party that has no social conscience and has stood over 9 years of spiraling rent costs, upwards on 10,000 people homeless and rising, scandals like the cervical cancer scandal and also the massive overspend on the National Children’s Hospital, healthcare crisis, and also their inaction on climate change among other things. Their continuing disregard for ordinary people and their policies are irreconcilable with the values of Fianna Fáil.
And so, we are calling on Micheál Martin and the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to stick to our pre-election promise of not going into coalition with Fine Gael and respecting the wishes of the Irish people.”
