Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has sought to play down tensions with Fianna Fáil, saying the parties worked well together in Government but would run their own general election campaigns.
There were tensions between the old rivals during the first week of the campaign, with Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohue criticising the Fianna Fáil manifesto for having “sparse costings” which were without “a credible explanation”.
Fianna Fáil backbencher Jim O’Callaghan on Friday accused Fine Gael of making no progress in the area of law and order despite being in power for 14 years, saying many of the initiatives taken by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had originated with him. The statement received a strong rebuke from Ms McEntee.
When asked about the tensions between the parties after Saturday’s Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll showed a coalition involving Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil was a preferred choice for 45 per cent of voters, Mr Harris struck a conciliatory note.
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Speaking to reporters in Killorglin, Co Kerry, where he was canvassing with Fine Gael candidate and former Kerry footballer Billy O’Shea, the Taoiseach said there was only one poll that matters and it would not happen until election day.
“Not a vote has been counted but we shouldn’t rewrite history during this election campaign either. The last government worked well together. We were able to deliver five budgets together,” he said.
“We were able to do many things that I’m proud of, in terms of helping to steer our country through Covid, through a major inflationary crisis, having put a lot of money back in people’s pockets, including right now, so I have no intention of rewriting history.”
Mr Harris and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin met in Killorglin, where the Tánaiste was canvassing with his party’s candidate Michael Cahill.
“I was pleased and proud to work with Fianna Fáil in government, but we are contesting this election as an independent party, as are they,” Mr Harris added. “What I’ll be doing for the next number of days is not engaging in ruaile buaile, but actually putting forward our policies and our visions.”
Asked if he was worried that Fianna Fáil was targeting the seat previously held by Fine Gael’s Brendan Griffin in the five-seater Kerry constituency, Mr Harris replied: “Firstly, there’s no such thing as a Fianna Fáil seat or a Fine Gael seat or a seat that belongs to any party – there are seats that belong to the people of Kerry and the people of Kerry are going to go out and decide who they want to represent them.”
Mr Harris said he was seeking to maximise the Fine Gael vote and win as many seats as possible. He said he was excited to have the opportunity to regenerate his party with many new candidates like Mr O’Shea, who is running for the first time.
“We have many new candidates with lots of different backgrounds, and then let’s see where the results take us. I wish all parties luck but as Barack Obama said when he rang Sarah Palin the day she was added to John McCain’s ticket as vice-president, ‘I wish you luck, but not too much’.”
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