Dáil row over who is closer to Sinn Féin

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have become embroiled in an argument over which party is closer to Sinn Féin.

The Dáil descended into a bickering contest when Tánaiste minister Simon Coveney and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin argued over who is electorally closer to Sinn Féin.

Mr Martin claimed Mr Coveney, the foreign affairs minister, had “forgot to mention the strong electoral alliance between his party and Sinn Féin”.