‘I’m not a lover of it’: Fianna Fáil delegates on confidence and supply

Delegates at the party’s ardfheis give their views on the deal with Fine Gael

Declan Conway from Waterford. Photograph: Alan Betson
Declan Conway from Waterford. Photograph: Alan Betson

Declan Conway, Waterford
"I am not a lover of confidence and supply. I don't think we should be supporting Fine Gael. That's how I feel."

Michael Murphy, Waterford
"Brexit is big for the party but it's not the main issue on the door. It's jobs, homelessness and the children's hospital is huge. Three years in supply and confidence was enough. I don't think we should have extended it."

Michael Murphy from Waterford. Photograph: Alan Betson
Michael Murphy from Waterford. Photograph: Alan Betson

Michael O'Reilly, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan
"I think it was right to continue confidence and supply in light of Brexit."

John O'Connor, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan
"I think Micheál has done the right thing. If he called an election, the media would have tortured him. He was in a catch-22. He put the country first.

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Michael O’Reilly and John O’Connor from Monaghan. Photograph: Alan Betson
Michael O’Reilly and John O’Connor from Monaghan. Photograph: Alan Betson

Rachel Naughton, Roscommon
"I have hated [confidence and supply] from day one. In the last month or two I am holding fire, like the party is. It's very much uncharted water."

Michelle Meeley, Roscommon
"I feel the same. I don't like it. It's in the greater good to hold on to it to the 29th of March, until after Brexit."

Michelle Meeley and Rachel Naughton. Photograph: Alan Betson
Michelle Meeley and Rachel Naughton. Photograph: Alan Betson

Frank Ryan, Limerick
"I am totally against confidence and supply. We agreed for three budgets and after that the plug should have been pulled. I do hope when this Brexit thing is over we will be fighting a general election. I am a Fianna Fáil man. If I wanted to support Fine Gael I would have joined them in 1957 and not Fianna Fáil."

Harry McGee

Harry McGee

Harry McGee is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times