Fianna Fáil is to appoint a new committee to reform the party in the wake of its 2020 election losses, with calls also for the party to differentiate itself from Fine Gael over the budget period.
The reform committee will be chaired by Kildare North TD James Lawless, who is also the chair of the justice committee.
The meeting of the parliamentary party also heard contributions from several members who argued that the party would have to differentiate itself from Fine Gael in the weeks ahead, during the launch of the National Development Plan and the budget.
“Everyone said the next two weeks very significant and would have to differentiate ourselves from Fine Gael in these two weeks,” a source said.
Both former minister Dara Calleary and Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill, who is a critic of the leadership, made such calls.
The new committee, will be tasked with implementing changes to modernise the party, arising from a review of the Fianna Fáil performance in last year’s general election. The committee – called the “Commission on the Aims and Objectives of Fianna Fáil” will build on the core the report by Minister of State Sean Fleming - including the main finding that members are unclear as to the identity and purpose of the party.
Other members of the parliamentary party will include Dublin North-West TD Paul McAuliffe, Senator Lisa Chambers, Cork South West TD Chris O’Sullivan, Cllr Kate Feeney and Sean Dorgan, the party’s General Secretary. The aim is to “modernise, resonate and reconnect”, the party’s meeting heard.
The review found that the party concentrated too much on Sinn Féin, and was damaged among young people by the stance of many of its TDs against the repeal of the eighth amendment.
RAPID programme
The review was also critical of the campaign run by the leadership and party headquarters, citing the late appointment of a director of elections, a conservative and cautious manifesto which had insufficient involvement from the party’s front bench, and also criticising its use of social media.
John Lahart called for re-introduction of the RAPID programme, which allocates funding to projects to address disadvantaged areas – as well as the appointment of a Kieran Mulvey type figure to chair the process.
Michael McGrath, the minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, gave an update on the National Development Plan, which is due to be launched next week, and the budget, which will be announced the week afterwards.
McGrath outlined the massive spend entailed under the plan, which is due to be launched next week, and the budget, which will be announced the week afterwards.
