Shropshire Star

Mary Lou McDonald says still possible for Sinn Fein to lead next government

Fine Gael has insisted it is preparing to enter opposition ahead of a meeting of its parliamentary party.

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Mary Lou McDonald

Mary Lou McDonald has said it is still possible to have a Sinn Fein-led government despite the numbers making it difficult.

The Sinn Fein leader said talks will intensify with smaller parties this week in a bid to form a left-leaning government.

She said: “There is undoubtedly a solid block of TDs for change for a new government. I remain very determined that we deliver that government.

“And I think that we need to knuckle down on the policy issues on housing, on the need to cut rents and freeze them, on the need to deliver a huge public housing programme, and on the need to resolve the issue around pensions and get it back to the age of 65.

“We are still very determined that an alternative, and a new government of change can be created. And we will intensify our efforts this week when we have conversations with other parties.”

“I am very clear that we have been elected in very large numbers to be in government, even to lead the next government. I’ve also said that the idea of seeing Fine Gael or Fianna Fail returned again for five years is unthinkable.

“We can speculate on many, many things but I think we can be clear that the outgoing government was deeply unpopular and failed people in many and profound ways, and that people voted for change.”

Ms McDonald said there is little public appetite for an election but that Sinn Fein will fight one if required.

“I want to see a good, stable, strong government that can deliver on housing, on health, can deliver on the issues that matter to people. But if there is an election, I mean we’ll go and we’ll fight the election,” she said.

Meanwhile, Solidarity-People Before Profit has urged the Green Party not to prop up a Fianna Fail and Fine Gael government.

In a meeting on Monday, Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the two main parties will not implement changes demanded by the public.

The Solidarity-People Before Profit delegation met with Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and TD Catherine Martin to discuss the possibilities for government formation.

“The main message we will be trying to put across is urging the Green Party not to prop up a government of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” Mr Boyd Barrett said.

“We think there is an overwhelming mandate for change and we want to see that movement for change not sabotaged by seeing a return to power of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael… because the sort of change people are asking for on the housing crisis and health crisis, the cost of living for working people, climate change.

“Action is required and that is not compatible with the continuation of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in government.

“We will be urging Eamon Ryan to work with the left with a view to delivering on the mandate and demand for change and to try and press forward with the possibility of a left government to deliver that change.”

Solidarity’s Mick Barry said they will be urging the Greens to “close the door” on any deal with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

Paul Murphy added: “Even for the Green’s own policies to be implemented, for example they call for a 7.67% annual reduction in carbon emissions, that will not be delivered in a government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

“Even their limited demand – which is inadequate – for doubling investment in public transport will not be delivered in government with Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.

“There is a majority in society for a whole series of left-wing policies.”

Meanwhile, Fine Gael has insisted it will only enter government as a last resort and is preparing to go into opposition.

The parliamentary party will meet on Monday afternoon, for the first time since the general election, to discuss the next steps in government formation.

Parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon insisted that Fine Gael would only enter government with Fianna Fail as a “last resort”.

“Many people within the Fine Gael parliamentary party would be uneasy with the idea,” he told RTE radio.

He said Sinn Fein should try to form a coalition with other left parties, or that Fianna Fail should try to form one with the Green Party and the Social Democrats.

Mr Heydon said there is no appetite among the general public for a second election this year.

He said: “It is pretty clear to me from anybody I’ve talked to that nobody in the general public would thank anybody in Dail Eireann for sending us back to a second election without a government being formed.”

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