By-election candidates accuse Government of 'gaslighting' the public in fiery debate

30.04.2026.

Candidates in the Dublin Central by-election have said the Government has “gaslighted” and not adequately helped people with the rising cost of living.

In the first televised debate of the by-election campaign, opposition candidates in the told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics that more support was required to help in their constituency.

The fiery debate featured Janice Boylan of Sinn Féin, Social Democrat Daniel Ennis, Fine Gael’s Ray McAdam, and Ruth O’Dea of the Labour Party.

The cost of living crisis dominated a large portion of the debate, with Ms Boylan, Mr Ennis, and Ms O’Dea all calling for further support to be introduced.

Mr Ennis said “extraordinary measures are needed here in extraordinary times”, as he called for targeted energy supports and a “supplementary mileage scheme for essential workers”.

Ms Boylan reiterated Sinn Féin’s call for an emergency budget, which would feature energy credits, changes to the USC, and further excise cuts.

“You cannot gaslight people into believing that everything is okay when they are feeling it for themselves,” she said.

Ms O’Dea said Labour is calling for July’s VAT cut for hospitality to be scrapped and tax cuts for PAYE workers introduced instead. She suggested workers had been “abandoned” by the Government.

Mr McAdam defended the Government’s actions, saying the €775m intervention by the Government is the “second largest in the European Union”.

He argued Sinn Féin’s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty had called on the Government to “borrow more and spend more”, which he said would have impacted the Government’s ability to intervene.

The debate also saw lively discussions on housing and homelessness.

Ms O’Dea accused Taoiseach Micheál Martin of making a “dangerous statement” when he told the Dáil that over half of the people living in homelessness services were non-Irish.

Mr McAdam denied suggestions from Ms O’Dea, Ms Boylan, and Mr Ennis that the Government is “scapegoating” migrants in the middle of a housing crisis.

On crime, Mr Ennis said “targeted investment” in sports clubs and youth diversion programmes is required, calling himself a “good byproduct of a youth diversion product”.

He added: “Dublin 1 hasn't got a full-size sports pitch, an area that has turned out Kelly Harrington [and] Troy Parrott.”

The other candidates contesting the Dublin Central by-election are Janet Horner of the Green Party, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin of People Before Profit, Aontú’s Ian Noel Smyth, Fianna Fáil’s John Stephens, and independent candidates Tony Corrigan, Colm Flood, Mannix Flynn, Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch, John O’Leary, and Malachy Steenson.

The by-election will be held on May 22 to fill the seat vacated by former Fine Gael TD Paschal Donohoe. A second by-election will be held on the same day in Galway West to replace President Catherine Connolly.

It comes as a new Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll has suggested support for Independent Ireland has risen three points to 9%, while Aontú has gained one point to bring its support to 7%.

Sinn Féin and Fine Gael remained on 22% and 17% support respectively, while Fianna Fáil fell two points to 17%.