Phil Hogan should stay out of election, says Martin

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan should stay out of the election and his former party Fine Gael is “politicising” Brexit, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has claimed.

On the eve of Britain leaving the EU, the two biggest parties clashed on Brexit and which is strongest to lead the next government when it comes to negotiating on Ireland's behalf.

Mr Martin, during a speech at the Institute of International and European Affairs, attacked Fine Gael's claims that Fianna Fáil can't be trusted to manage the economy or Brexit.

He defended Fianna Fáil's role in tackling Brexit and said his party, since 2015, had offered proposals to prepare for Britain leaving the EU.

“I think that this is necessary to say because there have been unfortunate attempts in recent weeks to politicise Brexit – to say that Ireland can’t have a new government because only current officeholders have the skills and knowledge to handle Brexit.

“What is particularly disappointing about this is that it is dismissive of the fact that Ireland should be proud of how political unity has reinforced our national strength at a time of real risk.

"Indeed it ignores the reality that we had a functioning government and parliament during the threat of a crash-out Brexit solely because Fianna Fáil acted.

“Against this background by us of positive engagement and leadership on the threat of Brexit during the past seven years, the idea that Ireland cannot change its government because of Brexit is cynical and desperate in equal measure.”

He also claimed Fine Gael is "politicising" Brexit and was critical of the party's plans to visit Dublin Port early tomorrow, ahead of Britain leaving the EU tomorrow night.

.@MichealMartinTD doubles down on his critical of FG “politicising” Brexit. He says commissioner Phil Hogan should also stay out of domestic politics until after election #iestaff #ge2020 @iiea pic.twitter.com/sMtQubFU5m

— Juno McEnroe (@Junomaco) January 30, 2020

“The last great photo-op and they're getting up at five in the morning to be photographed. That's just pathetic stuff.”

Mr Martin also took aim at Irish EU commissioner Phil Hogan, a former Fine Gael minister, who this week weighed in behind the outgoing coalition's warnings and said people were in a “slumber” ahead of looming trade EU-UK talks.

“I think Phil Hogan should stay out of domestic Irish politics now for the next week. That [his comments] was to me a coded, partisan intervention.”

Mr Martin noted Brexit talks were going well before Christmas and now, within the last 48 hours, the government has warned of a “freight train” coming down the tracks on EU-UK trade.

“There are new narratives being created that things are desperate altogether. People are going to see through that as an election creation, designed to try and frighten people into voting in a certain direction.”

During his speech, Mr Martin also criticised Sinn Féin for allegedly being “obsessively anti-EU”.

"It campaigned against us joining the European Union and it has opposed every development of the Union. 100 times out of 100 it attacks the EU when the opportunity arises and it is allied with hardline anti-EU parties."

The party in government would not only damage the economy, but also EU-Irish relations, he claimed.

Equally, the party's push for a united Ireland would postponing any possibility of one, he told the IIEA audience adding: “When the conditions are right, when sectarian tensions have been reduced, when we are able to do more than just offer a swapping of roles, when we don’t just talk about reconciliation but actually practice it – that is when the time will be right for a unity referendum.”