Taoiseach Simon Harris has refused to be drawn on which parties he would rather go into government with after outgoing TD Charlie Flanagan said Fine Gael should strive to avoid “left-wing” influence.
Mr Flanagan, a former minister for justice who has been critical of the Greens in government in the past, tweeted on Sunday: “Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil must strive to rule together in a majority government. Last thing the country wants is another left-wing tail wagging two dogs.”
But speaking in Cork following a rally with Fine Gael supporters, Mr Harris refused to be drawn on possible coalition permutations until votes are counted after the November 29th election.
“I have a very low threshold for anybody taking any votes for granted in this election,” he said.
Election 2024: Who will be in next government? Test the options using our coalition builder tool
Care services for most vulnerable not good enough, says Simon Harris
Referendums, resignation and repeat elections - a year of drama and political shocks
The Irish Times view on the next government: a perceptible shift to the right
As of now, “no party has won one vote, no party has won one seat”.
Mr Harris said the only permutation that he was ruling out at this stage was Fine Gael going into coalition with Sinn Féin.
On Saturday in Cork, Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin sounded a cautionary note over the possibility of his party going into government with either Labour or the Social Democrats in any future coalition.
“We need pro-enterprise tax policies – we need that in this country – and there are quite a number of parties in the Opposition who oppose that type of approach,” said Mr Martin, who has already ruled out a pact with Sinn Féin.
Policy proposals on how to improve the quality of life in Dublin and other urban areas featured strongly in the second full day of general election campaigning.
Fianna Fáil launched a policy document on “supporting urban committees” with proposals for improving the lives of people living, working and visiting Ireland’s cities.
Dublin Bay South TD Jim O’Callaghan said Fianna Fáil would recruit 5,000 gardaí over the next five years should it be returned to government, bringing the force to about 20,000 members.
Minister of State for Justice James Browne said urban communities had faced real challenges around crime and urban decay.
He highlighted New York’s previous “zero-tolerance” policy which he said was not only about “getting tough on crime” but also about “putting that heart back into their communities, and that’s what we’re looking to do here”.
Mr Browne said Fianna Fáil would bring in new powers for gardaí, including dispersal orders to be directed at people carrying out antisocial behaviour.
The Social Democrats outlined their plan to “restore and revive” Dublin with Dublin Central candidate Gary Gannon leading the charge.
The Social Democrats have promised a dedicated Garda unit for policing events and protests, and measures to boost the number of people living in Dublin city centre in a proposal aimed at reviving the capital.
The party’s Dublin Northwest candidate Rory Hearne, who is seeking to hold former party co-leader Róisín Shortall’s seat after her retirement, said Government plans to encourage people to live over shops had not been effective.
The party highlighted a proposal that would allow Dublin City Council to levy a tax that would be higher than the vacant homes tax with the revenues ring-fenced to bring such buildings back into use.
People Before Profit was also focusing on Dublin on Sunday with Richard Boyd Barrett TD joining Paul Murphy TD in Tallaght to campaign on the high cost of living.
In another policy pledge on Sunday, Fine Gael said it would create a “contribution model for asylum seekers” if re-elected to government.
“This will range from €15 a week to €268 a week,” Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said. “If you have an income you should make a contribution.
“This won’t apply to people who cannot work, or are unable to work. We believe this is an appropriate measure to help us create a fair but firmer migration system.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
- Sign up to our Inside Politics newsletter to get the behind-the-scenes take direct to your inbox
