Micheál Martin has said that Fianna Fáil staff committed the party to introducing an emergency rent freeze as demanded in a charity's policy document, but that he will not pursue such a measure if in government.
The Fianna Fáil leader last year called for the consideration of a rent freeze, but has since backed away from it citing legal advice. The measure was not included as a policy proposal in his party’s election manifesto.
Mr Martin was pressed on his housing policy during an interview with RTÉ’s Bryan Dobson on Friday, and was specifically asked about an election document from the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI).
Mr Martin was one of a number of political figures who backed the NWCI’s manifesto which, among other things, called for an “emergency rent freeze”.
Pat Leahy: Election 2020 is set to reorder the political landscape
Frank McNally dissects the political parties’ manifestos ahead of the General Election
Election 2020: Arts sector calls on parties to double investment in Arts by 2025
On the canvass: Sinn Féin confident it can retain two seats in Louth
When asked about this by Mr Dobson, Mr Martin said: “People from headquarters sent that over and that is something that they have dealt with. We are not promising a rent freeze because it is unconstitutional.”
The comments were picked up by Sinn Féin, which Mr Martin has criticised due to his belief that its elected representatives are not in control of the party. He has alleged that decisions in Sinn Féin are made by “shadowy figures” and “unelected officials”.
Clashed
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams jokingly suggested on Twitter that Mr Martin, on the rent freeze, was being led by similar figures in his own party. It came after a day when Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil clashed on who would enter government with Sinn Féin after the election.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Mr Martin said the other's party would bring Sinn Féin into coalition. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar of arrogance by ruling out a coalition with her party.
Mr Varadkar also denied Fine Gael’s efforts to pivot the election campaign towards Brexit and the economy is an effort to ratchet up a fear factor among the public about other parties.
Mr Varadkar said on Friday it was justifiable for his party to set out its track record in government and during Brexit negotiations.
“We have a tried and trusted team that has brought us this far. Fianna Fáil has an untried, untested and inexperienced team,” he said.
Mr Martin claimed that Mr Varadkar had planned it for the election to fall near the time the UK departed the EU.
“It’s very clear now that it was all choreographed and he thought he would get re-elected on the wave of Brexit day,” he said.
