Labour party faithful support stance on coalition

Labour TDs and senators have given their support to Brendan Howlin’s insistence that the party should speak to “everybody” about post-election coalition, saying even Sinn Féin cannot be ruled out.

TDs Seán Sherlock and Jan O’Sullivan, and senators Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Ged Nash supported their party leader’s view last night, but admitted the move poses risks to the party.

In a detailed interview in yesterday’s Irish Examiner before the start of Labour’s annual conference in Wexford this weekend, Mr Howlin said he wants to speak with “everybody” after the next election.

Declining to rule any party out, including Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, he said that while he will not lead the party “gushingly” into coalition, he does not understand the “purpose” of Labour remaining in opposition to continue rebuilding at a time of crisis at home and abroad.

The comments provoked an angry response from a number of grassroots members yesterday, with many raising concerns about potential talks with Sinn Féin.

Last night, however, Cork East TD Seán Sherlock said his personal preference would be to remain in opposition but “traditionally we always put country before party” and that Labour should “absolutely” speak with all parties.

“There’s a strong school of thought within Labour that maybe a sustained period in opposition might be best to grow again, but what we’ve seen in the Dáil the last year is just an absolute stasis.

“I’m not going to put myself on the hook to go back into government, but we must talk to everybody at the same time. We should talk to Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael,” he said.

While ruling out any pre-election pacts, Limerick TD Jan O’Sullivan said the reality is that Ireland “will have coalition governments” into the future and she said “I don’t think Labour should rule ourselves out of that, at any time”. Despite saying all parties should be considered, she added that “we should not go into government at any price”.

Labour senator and ex-TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said Labour’s focus must be on creating a “belief system and what we want to achieve” and that “next time if we are to go in we need to have red line issues written into the programme for government word for word, letter by letter”.

Regarding future coalition partners, he declined to rule any out, saying “your choices are fairly limited”.

“You’ve a valueless party in Fianna Fáil, a party with values but their values we fundamentally disagree with in Fine Gael, and a party with issues in Sinn Féin. I’m not really in the business of ruling anyone in or out, but I think it’s amazing no one ever wants to rule us out.”

Fellow senator Ged Nash said he believes the next government will be a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition, but “we should absolutely keep the option of speaking to everyone open”.