Billy Kelleher says Fianna Fáil must reconnect with young people and take a lead on Irish unity

Cork MEP says the party must rebuild its support among working class and marginalised people, 'rip up the rule book' on housing, and prepare to take the lead on preparations for a United Ireland

Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher was speaking at the Éamon de Valera commemoration in Co Clare. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Fianna Fáil is “not doing enough” to engage with young people, Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher has said.

Speaking at the Éamon de Valera commemoration in Co Clare, Mr Kelleher said he feels the party is not even trying to understand how young people view the world.

“As a party, we need to invest in young people, invest in engaging with them, be willing to admit we are wrong. As a parent, I know how hard this is, but it is essential,” Mr Kelleher said.

“We need to listen to them, and not dismiss their views just because we don’t agree or don’t understand.” 

He said Fianna Fáil is facing a “demographic cliff edge” for its membership, activists, and voters.

“To say otherwise would be to deny reality,” Mr Kelleher added.

The Cork MEP said Fianna Fáil must return to being a party that all of Irish society.

He said Fianna Fáil had never “been the party of the landed or business classes”.

Fianna Fáil must be a party where both the shopkeeper and the shop worker feel at home. 

“We must reconnect and re-engage with all strata of Irish society.” 

Mr Kelleher said the party had lost its strongholds in working class estates and marginalised communities, which had sustained Fianna Fáil for nearly 100 years.

He said Ireland must “get back to being an egalitarian society” and this required Fianna Fáil to take in members and supporters from all walks of life.

“This will be difficult. It will require us to rethink current thinking within the party, to challenge existing orthodoxies, and to be willing to accept that we have made mistakes,” Mr Kelleher said.

Time to 'rip up the rule book' on housing

He called for the party to get back to “radically challenging orthodoxies” in both Ireland’s society and its economy.

In particular, he said “tinkering around the edge” on housing would not solve the crisis, warning of a divided society between people who own homes and those who don’t.

“We need to be ready to rip up the rule book when it comes to housing construction. 

"Our people are demanding it, our business leaders and investors are demanding it, so why are we so slow to go nuclear when it comes to home building?” 

FF 'should lead preparations for United Ireland' 

Mr Kelleher also used the speech to call for Fianna Fáil to take a leading role in preparations for Irish unity, saying the public are ahead of politicians on the matter.

“Failing to prepare for a United Ireland, and having the answers to the legitimate questions of people, north and south, will stymy our chances of winning a border poll.” 

He questioned who else would take a leadership role in Fianna Fáil’s place, saying that Sinn Féin are “simply too divisive” for over 50% of people in the north.

“If the objective is to win a border poll, then we need to put out best foot forward, and to my mind, that is not allowing Sinn Féin lead the campaign for unity,” he said.

The Unionist community knows our bona fides. They know we want a United Ireland but equally know they have nothing to fear from us. 

Mr Kelleher’s speech comes amid internal rumblings in the party over the fallout of its presidential campaign, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin expected to face questions at a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday.

It is now expected that a review into Jim Gavin’s campaign will not be completed by its November 12 deadline.