There are very differing views within Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Councillors in Tipperary on whether or not their respective parties should go into government.
Tipp FM has been getting the views of the nine Fianna Fáil and eleven Fine Gael members on the local authority.
Fianna Fáil’s Kieran Bourke has made no secret of his opposition to the party going into government with Fine Gael and the Greens, even going so far as to call for Micheál Martin to step down as party leader.
His party colleague in the Carrick on Suir Municipal District Imelda Goldsboro is in favour of the coalition as she feels we need to have a government in place as soon as possible.
Clonmel based Siobhan Ambrose says no one is ecstatic about the three party coalition but is voting yes.
Seamus Hanafin is another Fianna Fáil representative voting yes – the Thurles Councillor feels we have no other option.
Sean Ryan is also in the yes camp saying he’s heard it from so many individuals and businesses that the country needs a Government.
Ardfinnan Councillor Micheál Anglim is opposed to going into coalition with Fine Gael and the Greens – he says Fianna Fail should have negotiated with everybody and that a national government should at least have been considered.
Fianna Fáil party whip on the council Roger Kennedy is in favour of being part of the next Government saying the programme for government is very good and worth supporting. He also pointed out that the country needs a government.
The Fine Gael camp seems to be leaning more towards rejecting the programme for government than their Fianna Fáil counterparts.
Mary Hanna Hourigan is voting no and is one of the many who seem unhappy with the college system which gives a greater weighting to votes from members of the parliamentary party.
Mark Fitzgerald says he hasn’t fully made his mind saying he wants to get the views of party members in his area.
Clonmel’s Michael Murphy says he’s in the yes camp citing the need for strong, stable, durable and adaptable government particularly in the context of the challenges in the weeks, months and years ahead.
John Fitzgerald – who has yet to officially take his seat on the council following his recent co-option – is leaning towards yes but says the devil is in the detail.
For his part Templemore’s Noel Coonan said it doesn’t seem to matter what councillors think as the college system favours Dáil members.
Cashel’s Declan Burgess is undecided – while acknowledging the need for a stable Government which Fine Gael can provide he feels the Greens seem to have gotten everything they wanted while the programme for government has Fianna Fáil written all over it.
Marie Murphy is another Fine Gael representative who is unimpressed with the college system pointing out that one parliamentary party vote is the equivalent of seventeen councillors.
Golden’s Michael Fitzgerald says he’ll be voting no – he told Tipp FM he feels Sinn Féin should have been included in discussions saying their vote in the general election warranted respect – which they didn’t get from FG, FF or Greens.
