Fianna Fáil ‘could support’ minority Fine Gael-Labour pact

A senior Fianna Fáil TD has refused to rule out his party supporting a minority Fine Gael-Labour government, saying “we will discuss all options” after the imminent election. Jobs spokesperson Dara Calleary took the position as party leader Micheál Martin said Fianna Fáil will “act responsibly” after the vote, despite both individuals categorically ruling out a coalition with Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s party.

Speaking at the launch of Fianna Fáil’s jobs strategy hours after the latest Red C poll strongly suggested a hung Dáil is likely, Mr Calleary said there is “absolutely no way” he will support a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil grand coalition.

However, he declined when asked three times if he would also rule out Fianna Fáil supporting a Fine Gael-Labour minority government from the opposition benches, one of the few remaining realistic options.

“We are out in the middle of an election campaign to get votes to make our party as big as possible, and we will discuss all options afterwards,” he said. The comment came as Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin again ruled out entering a government with Fine Gael, but told RTÉ he will be “responsible” after the election.

With a hung Dáil a distinct possibility, there are only a small number of realistic options for the make-up of the next government based on the poll figures. They include a Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil coalition which both have ruled out and, according to the latest poll, may only just have enough voter support, and a continuation of the current coalition backed by Fianna Fáil from the opposition benches.

The latter option would allow the coalition to continue, while also allowing Fianna Fáil to position itself as the responsible opposition and effectively decide the timing of the next election if it pulled support.

Mr Martin had earlier taken issue with Fine Gael Health Minister Leo Varadkar’s comments that the opposition leader is like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in 1980s film Total Recall because he had “alternative memories planted in his brain” about his time overseeing health, saying Mr Varadkar is “a good debater but an even better deceiver”.

Meanwhile, Labour and Sinn Féin have clashed over Siptu’s decision to back Labour, with Sinn Féin saying that the union has turned its back on a left-wing government.

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