Alan Kelly takes swipe at 'arrogant' Sinn Féin and Ministers 'chasing headlines' 

Labour leader Alan Kelly has hit out at Sinn Féin for "arrogantly acting", like it is inevitable they will be in Government after the next election.

Labour leader Alan Kelly has hit out at Sinn Féin for "arrogantly acting", like it is inevitable they will be in Government after the next election.

Setting down his party's preconditions for entering any future coalition, Mr Kelly also took aim at "some parties" in the current government that "think they have a right to always govern".

Addressing the Labour Party national conference for the first time since becoming leader, Mr Kelly called for a "new deal" to make Ireland "a fairer, kinder, better place".

Turning to the next election, Mr Kelly told members who gathered in Dublin's Mansion House, and those tuned in remotely, that if the Labour Party is to enter government it will only do so under two conditions.

"Firstly, will our core policies be implemented? And secondly, can we trust the moral compass of those who aspire to govern with us? Because the tone of political debate really matters now."

While he did not mention Mary Lou McDonald's party by name, he said: "Others in opposition go around arrogantly acting like their ascension to high office next time is just inevitable."

He told members that this is not true as the public will decide, adding "there is always a third option as we proved in the recent by-election win".

Turning to the Government parties he said there is now too much governing "by soundbites and leaking" with ministers "more concerned with chasing headlines than changing Ireland".

Instead, Mr Kelly told the conference that people want security in their work and in their homes, "a safety net to catch them" when a child falls sick or an elderly parent needs care.

Mr Kelly described Covid as "the great disrupter" and claimed public expectations of what the State can do for them changed overnight.

Covid personally made him reconsider everything, including how much time he spends with his wife Regina, children Aoibhe and Senan, as well as his elderly parents Nan and Tom.

He added that too many parties are "peddling the myth" that we can have both tax cuts and public spending.

"It’s a con job. It’s total lies. They are lying to the Irish people, pure and simple."

"You can’t call yourself a left-wing party if you’re against a property tax," he said.

Mr Kelly also criticised the current Government for failing to deliver on health.

"All of our closest neighbours managed to reward their frontline healthcare workers. Only this shambolic government could mess it up.

"Trolley numbers continue to rise and nearly a million people are on waiting lists. What kind of country allows a child like Adam Terry wait four years for scoliosis surgery?

"The only answer from government to delays is to shovel more money into profit-making private health services. It’s immoral," he told the conference.