Fianna Fáil backs Labour transfers to block Sinn Fein’s rise
As the general election campaign enters its last 48 hours, the prospect of a hung Dáil and a second election remains following the final leaders’ debate last night.
The Irish Examiner has learned that Willie O’Dea’s team is encouraging his supporters to transfer to Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan in a bid to deny Sinn Féin a seat.
The unprecedented move shows the chaotic nature of the election campaign as Mr O’Dea confirmed to the Irish Examiner that he and his election camp have told voters it is “fine” to give their support to the Labour TD, after voting for him.
All of the parties are now scrambling to mop up as many votes as possible to put them on a stronger footing for any coalition negotiations after the election.
Another senior Fianna Fáil member yesterday said he is open to the possibility of a four-way coalition involving Labour, the Social Democrats, and Renua.
Laois TD Seán Fleming said the party would look at all options after the results of Friday’s general election, adding that Fianna Fáil had worked well with Labour in the past.
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Last night, the four main party leaders went head to head in the final debate before the public cast their votes on Friday.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Fianna Fáil had “shamed the country” and had abandoned Ireland in its “greatest hour of need”.
It's all to play for as Election 2016 campaigns enter their final days https://t.co/qJKrzBNKHd (DOD) #GE16 pic.twitter.com/7lsAXaI5Wh
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016
During the debate, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams accused Fianna Fáil of “driving the bus over the cliff”, adding that leader Micheál Martin now “wants the keys back to get into the bus again”.
Labour leader Joan Burton said “the cupboard was bare” when her party came to power after two terms of a Fianna Fáil government.
Mr Martin admitted that his party had made mistakes in government “in terms of spending too much”.
Mr Adams denied he was “at sea” in terms of basic figures after he was questioned over media performances in recent days.
“We are asking everyone who is earning over €100,000 to pay an extra 7c in every €1,” he said.
He said presenter Miriam O’Callaghan should declare an interest after she confirmed she is on a salary over €100,000.
Ms Burton said Mr Adams has “some cheek lecturing us” on health when he was able “jet off” to America for a medical procedure.
“A friend of mine paid for an operation which, at that time, was not available on the island of Ireland,” Mr Adams replied.
In Limerick, Mr O’Dea and his team’s move to tell voters that it is “fine” to give their support to the Labour TD, after voting for him, shows the precariousness of this election.
Mr O’Dea said his election team could be advocating number twos for Ms O’Sullivan “without” his permission.
“They [the campaign team] may have, who knows. They certainly didn’t consult me.”
Mr O’Dea said he had told voters it was up to them who got their preferences.
However, when pressed about what advice he was giving voters, he said: “If a few voters have said they want to give Jan a preference, I’ve said ‘that’s fine’. I’ve not discouraged them. But I’ve canvassed thousands, so that doesn’t matter.”
Such a move by the popular Fianna Fáil TDcould stop surplus votes going to Sinn Féin candidate Maurice Quinlivan.
Mr O’Dea was forced to resign his seat at Cabinet in 2010, after a row with the Sinn Féin councillor over false allegations he made regarding a brothel in Limerick.
Asked if giving the okay to voters to support Ms O’Sullivan was a bid to prevent Mr Quinlivan from getting elected, Mr O’Dea said: “There’s a lot of people who don’t want Quinlivan to get elected. But I’m certainly not going out canvassing for others to make sure he doesn’t get elected.”
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