Minority Government deal is ‘student politics at its worst’ says Alan Kelly

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has lashed out at the Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil minority government deal and called it “student politics”, as his party debates whether to oppose the expected nomination of Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.

Labour figures are annoyed at Fine Gael’s U-turn on water charges and its concession to Fianna Fáil to suspend bills. The party held its first parliamentary meeting yesterday since its five elected senators joined its remaining seven TDs in Leinster House.

Labour is still undecided about its leadership, but has committed to going into opposition.

But senior party figures are angry after Fine Gael folded on water charges, despite the fact Labour was punished by voters in the last two elections on the issue.

The party has yet to decide whether it will support, abstain or oppose Mr Kenny’s nomination. “There is a massive degree of annoyance within the party,” a Labour senior source said. “What about tax abiding citizens? The meeting was fully behind them.”

Labour Party chairman Willie Penrose said: “Labour will not fall into the trap of following the two largest parties up this particular blind alley. In fact, we alone will stand up for those who have paid by insisting that, now that water charges have been essentially scrapped, that people who have paid, should be refunded in full.”

Meanwhile, Mr Kelly attacked the deal hammered out at Trinity College Dublin between the parties.

“A third-level college was the right location for these talks, because the ‘Trinity Treaty’ is the greatest example of student politics at its worst, ” he said.