Politics

Burton warns of ‘very conservative’ FF-FG administration

Tánaiste cautions electorate to reflect on consequences of their vote ahead of ballot

Joan Burton during a visit to Shellybanks Educate Together National School in Ballsbridge, Dublin, while on the campaign trail. Photograph: PA
Joan Burton during a visit to Shellybanks Educate Together National School in Ballsbridge, Dublin, while on the campaign trail. Photograph: PA
Fiach Kelly
Tue Feb 23 2016 - 14:33

A government made up of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would be "very conservative" and would not implement social change, such as changes to Ireland's abortion law, Tánaiste Joan Burton has claimed.

Ms Burton on Tuesday said "people have to think twice about the consequences of their vote". Only Labour could continue with social progress, such as a referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution which provides for the equal right to life for the mother and the unborn child, she added.

The“one great common purpose” of Fine Gael and Labour has been “to get people back to work and improve people’s personal economic and financial situation”, she said.

“We share and continue to share that great common purpose. I have no idea what the great common purpose might be between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”

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She claimed that an alliance between the two parties would be a very conservative government, “with no social progress being made”.

Mandate

“That’s what I believe would come from that combination. But remember the Labour Party and Fine Gael has set to ask the people, in the context of the last five years, both on the economic front and on the social front, we’ve asked for a mandate.”

She said governments without mandates did not last, and cited the Fianna Fáil-Labour Party coalition formed in 1993, which collapsed almost two years later. She said Labour went into office to advance the Northern Ireland peace process but said the government fell apart soon after that had been achieved.

"That was done but in fact when the peace process had been achieved and initiated by that government – by Albert Reynolds and Dick Spring – as soon as that great common purpose which existed between the two parties was completed, the government fell apart in a very short period of time," Ms Burton said.

“I would say beware of governments that don’t necessarily have a mandate. That’s a problem. It’s always a problem in democracy. I believe both parties in that government [Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael] would find it very difficult after a period of time to operate.”