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SOCIAL PROTECTION MINISTER Regina Doherty has reiterated Fine Gael’s call on Fianna Fáil to begin talks on a new confidence and supply agreement – saying there’s no reason the discussions can’t take place at the same time as Budget negotiations.
Talks between the two parties on next month’s Budget package commence today.
Fianna Fáil said once again yesterday that the Budget needed to be sorted before any talks on a new deal to keep the Fine Gael-led minority government in power could be considered.
The Taoiseach has made a number of calls recently for renewed talks to take place before the Budget – citing stability and Brexit as the primary reasons to bring them forward.
Speaking to Morning Ireland today, Doherty said her party was not minded to accept Fianna Fáil’s latest response to the talks proposal and that negotiations on the two issues could happen in parallel.
“We will have to try and persuade them,” she said.
“I don’t see the harm in asking Fianna Fáil to sit down and review what has been a good contract for the last number of years with a view to continuing that contract in what has been an uncertain time for the island of Ireland.”
She said there was an “underlying tone” in Fianna Fáil’s responses on the issue – “that if they don’t get what they want in the Budget then they will cause an election”.
Politicians, she said, needed to stop with the accusations of “you want an election and I don’t want one – like, that’s childish”.
She insisted talks on a new deal needed to take place so that the government has stability and the parliament has longevity.
Micheál Martin’s party, she said, deserved credit for its role in providing stability over the last three years.
She said that Budget talks last year had been “very seamless” and that the Fianna Fáil team who helmed those discussions were “utter professionals”.
Nobody wanted an election and Fine Gael would try again to kickstart confidence and supply talks, she added.
Dear Micheál…
It emerged yesterday morning that Leo Varadkar had sent a letter to Martin on Friday last seeking talks on a new deal, and setting out the government’s achievements since 2016. Fine Gael later published the letter in full.
Fianna Fáil released its own letter yesterday afternoon, in which Martin rejected the Taoiseach’s claim that the government could not function without an extension of the confidence and supply agreement.
Speaking yesterday Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley described the Taoiseach’s letter as a “distraction”, adding:
Let’s get some fiscal security in place here, let’s agree the important issues and the funding of the State for the next 12 months and when that fiscal confidence is in place then let’s deal with the political issues about whether we’re going to have an election or when it’s going to take place or what the next set of priorities will be.
The deal between the Dáil’s two largest parties, signed after prolonged talks between the parties in the wake of the 2016 general election, essentially sets the parameters for Fianna Fáil to prop up the current minority government.
It covered three Budgets before a mooted renegotiation – and the one set to be delivered by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe in a month’s time represents the last in that series.
Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath was asked on Morning Ireland today whether his party was prepared for a general election.
“As a political party we’re always ready we never fear an election but we’re not looking for one and we don’t believe that one is necessary,” McGrath said.
You know I think that the Taoiseach’s move in writing to Micheál Martin already knowing what his position was both privately and publicly and then publishing the letter on the eve of negotiations on the third Budget just doesn’t strike me as a genuine attempt to get talks under way in relation to a review of the agreement. There’s something else to it – I’m not quite sure what it is.
McGrath said there would be a review of the deal and that his party had committed to facilitating the enactment of the Budget “which essentially takes us to Christmas”.
Fianna Fáil’s justice spokesperson Jim O’Callaghan said yesterday that Varadkar wanted a pre-Christmas election, something the Taoiseach’s spokesperson rejected outright last night.
That suggestion does not tally with the letter released by the Taoiseach yesterday, said the spokesperson, who added that Varadkar is “serious about continuing to govern the country”.
The spokesperson said O’Callaghan is entitled to that opinion, be said it is wrong.
“The Taoiseach does not want a pre-Christmas election. Absolutely not.”
TheJournal Politics / TwitterFianna Fáil heading into the Dept of Finance for Budget discussions with Paschal Donohoe.
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) September 5, 2018
Affordable housing and a social welfare package are just some of their priorities pic.twitter.com/rr1Coro5Xz
Speaking to reporters on his way into the first tranche of Budget negotiations with Finance and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, McGrath said it is “bizarre” for the Taoiseach to seek “to force the issue” now as both parties commence Budget negotiations.
He said Fianna Fáil the budget will influence whatever review of the confidence and supply takes place afterwards. In terms of their Budget priorities, McGrath said his party will be looking for measures around an affordable housing scheme, a fair taxation package as well as a social welfare package in the October Budget.
Responding to Doherty’s comments that election talk is “childish”, McGrath said he was not going to enter a “tit-for-tat” argument. He said his party would continue to hold discussions in a professional and business-like manner.
With reporting by Christina Finn
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Our lettin-on coalition needs a reboot – perhaps an election is just what we need!
@John Flood: Rules must be urgently change however. Parties that lose elections and then make secret ‘closed session’ deals to stymie our democratically elected opposition do not have a mandate, unless they are prepared to go into coalition. It makes a sham of democracy and is far worse than tearing up manifestos after elections, to then agree on a ‘Plan for government’ that the electorate never saw coming.
@Denis McClean: the only people that can change this cosy cartel are the citizens of the country, but the majority of the electorate are either too brainwashed to see any different or just won’t bother to vote
@Denis McClean: They couldn’t give a sihte about democracy or the people. power and money(fat pensions)is all they are interested in.All large parties useless don’t care enough to fix the homeless crisis or health service crime or any other important issue.
Spent 4 days of a holiday with a prominent politician and my god I couldn’t believe the way they behaved.She cared about nobody except herself totally self absorbed and she represents us.It makes me sick.
@Denis McClean: The “democratically elected” opposition you refer to decided to take a 3 month extended holiday after the last election instead of participating in attempts to form a government. A government needed to be formed (another election would have been pointless as little was likely to change) & FF & FG at least accepted their responsibilities to ensure a stable government while the rest sat on their hands.
@Martin Parfrey: As I recall, it took a full 3 months for FFG to agree the terms of their ‘Confidence and Supply’ during multiple sessions and all held behind locked doors. The standard FFG response is another election is pointless, Why? If no-one wins the all Ireland we do it gain. If no horse wins the steeplechase, we run it again. It costs money but the country is leaking money as long as inept politicians keep themselves in power and make the opposition redundant.
@Denis McClean: Another election would not have made a significant difference (maybe a seat swapped here & there but no great overall change so it would just have delayed the talks even more). If SF & some of the others had voted for either MM or Enda instead of sitting on the fence those protracted talks would have been avoided.
“I don’t see the harm in asking Fianna Fáil to sit down and review what has been a good contract for the last number of years.” A good contract for who exactly ? because it certainly is not for the people of this country , higher taxes for the middle to increase welfare spending
@Karen Ryan: Welfare spending? subsidies for the already rich. more like.
@Sean Conway: we have one of the most progressive tax structures and generous welfare systems in the developed world. I’m guessing you are benefiting from it as well
@Karen Ryan: I see the absolute idiocy that an income tax rate of 50% at the marginal rate on a pittance of an income; has on enterprise and employment on a daily basis. That needs to drop and significantly! Thieves!
@Tweety McTweeter: No. i’m working 40 years nearly. i think you heve to have lobbyists like the farmers and so on. the PAYE workers get s$(at on.
@Karen Ryan:
God forbid you ever end up on the Dole, Karen.
@David Rogers: I bet she is one of those “a friend of a friend of a friend of an uncles cousin told me” that Their neighbour on welfare have 5 holidays a year, brand new cars x 2, huge TV’s and eat caviar and Kobe steak every night
@Karen Ryan: extra spending on PESCO. The spin about extra welfare payments is just that, spin.
@Tweety McTweeter: There is noting ‘Progressive’ about tax on cash from an ATM which is assumed to have somehow missed a million other taxes in the Revenue Minefields that block all exits from getting paid and all access to mandatory bank accounts. Progressive was a favourite of Leo’s spinning machine that now means precisely nothing.
Remember Regina bribed the Gardaí into arresting a journalist for fairly reporting on her sleazy business dealings.
@mursim:Regina is like the Ali Bongo of Irish polictics saying no one wants an election, the whole country shouting back,O yes we do.
She is well qualified in childish behaviour herself.
Pure Kabuki theatre. An election would be nice though…
If political parties shore each other up to remain in power, is this not a way to deny the electorate their democratic right to select a government of their choosing?. As far as the “confidence and supply arrangement” goes, there are many in our society , in health, education, housing,social services etc who would beg to differ ,Regina says ” We will have to try and persuade them”, whatever about FF, who seem to lack the courage or policies to stand proud, I think many in wider society view this symbiotic relationship as unhealthy and a denial of process.
@Honeybee: that’s the hole point of their cosy little deal as Joe public has cottoned on to them &they realise they no longer can have a big enough majority to rule on their own
The charade continues.
The coalition will continue.
FFG will continue to pretend to be separate parties.
@mursim:
The pretence must be acted out for the cameras and for the public. Otherwise the public might start thinking that FF & FG are not separate parties at all.
Concluding that they’ve mutated into the same institutionalized gangster entity with an A TEAM and a very jealous B TEAM
Are the talks compulsory or mandatory?
@Hello DAVE!: mandatory but not compulsory. Hahahahahahaha !
The deal will be done because the fear of the electorate is so great.
Regina knows she is finished.
@@mdmak33: Scraped in on the 9th count to win the final seat in her constituency. I wouldn’t put money on her being reelected.
@@mdmak33:
She’s not going to be re-elected.
Having journalists arrested is Stasi-type stuff.,
Seems like FG and their behaviour with the letters is childish behaviour, a letter not intended for martin at all, but for the public. Maybe leo would like us to see all the other letters and emails he sent out this year, why not!
@Adrian: Leo is adopting Trump’s policy of leading & negotiating via twitter. God help us if Trump is Leo’s role model. Micheal was right to slap him down. Twitter is not the proper medium for negotiations like these & the king of spin needs to learn this!
FFG will continue as is.
Fear in the air..
Am yet to see a photo of Regina where she doesn’t look like she’s just seen a ghost
Keep the cabal going at all costs Muppets
We need a referendum that if passed would allow the electorate to call time on a government if it fails in its promises after i year in office.
She knows she’s gone next election
Regina Doherty, fg minister. Plans on hiking weekly welfare payments over 3 times the increase that a worker on e30,000 will receive. Like last year, weekly welfare increase e5, weekly usc decrease e1.50! talks start today between ff and fg! Do what you said you would do and reward workers you spineless turncoat snakes!
@Shane Zerbe: What they intend to do is force the divide and conquer tactic as far as they can. They need division in society. People cannot unite against them, that’s their biggest fear.
@Dave Doyle: You have very little respect for the electorate.
@now-now-now: Dave has hit the nail on the head now.
I think I knew her at school. Wasn’t she the odd one who got upset at everybody for no reason and tattled all the time, whilst jealously guarding her own secrets? Too much energy spent on winning small battles whilst losing the war?
Everyone is out, reward work, welfare increases etc etc – 3 main issues should be, health, housing, education – I’d pay more in tax if these 3 areas were working as they should.
@Michael Wall: I’m not prepared to pay more in tax. Many people are contributing huge amounts and well above their fair share for nothing. While Margaret cash and her ilk, supported by government and its policy; Hoover it all up and reduce our living standards. How is there any justification for any welfare increases when all we hear about from fg now is full employment, the island of opportunity! That Money needs to go into housing , healthy, education, policing. It’s gone too far, sending hundreds of millions up in smoke every year on welfare increases from an already outrageous level. “ just because “!
@Shane Zerbe: You’ll notice I said I’d pay more on tax if “health, housing, education” were working as they should, didn’t mention welfare as a reason I’d pay more tax, I mentioned it in the context of one of the things that are being shouted for. But don’t mistake welfare for dole, it’s also pensions, housing etc – how much of the welfare budget is spent subsidising landlords, but vulture and others, driving up rent, house prices etc, for whose benefit? Our current gov are not interested in solving problems, just in transferring wealth towards a select few while encouraging us to look towards the less well off in society as the problem.
@Michael Wall: It’s the FG way. Put the blame for all Government issues squarely at the foot of the poor and welfare dependants. Ignore everything else and do nothing except look after their already rich sponsors. Divide and conquer.
FG may well call a snap election and like all previous Administrations try to bribe their way into another term in office as the largest party .an overall majority they will not get ,but they will have the foot on the throat of FF.Martin needs to get his boxing gloves on or do the decent thing and resign.
There’s talk of some sort of bargaining between the two main parties and while I agree that personal taxation should get a boost I am disappointed that health and housing are not at the top of the agenda.
@Alan Scott: with a face like a slapped arse.
A spiteful person is our Regina, refused to restore the pension bands of 2012, affecting mostly Women, who were thrown into destitution without a blink of the eyelid.
You always know when Regina is in attack mode
its when she has the vacant stare look on
Reminds me of a teacher I had the misfortune to have in primary school
Free Mars bars for all….next blueshirt slogan.
If FG think the Government wouldn’t be viewed as stable enough,why don’t they call a General Election to try to get a majority mandate for next 5years based on opinion polls so far?!
As I understand it, the coalition agreement between FG & FF was meant to allow FG to stay in power for at least 3 budgets before it was to be reviewed. This means FG are trying to change the details of the agreement they signed up to. Regina is just another pain in the American word for a donkey and statements like she made are only made in self interest ( highlighting her own social profile at the expense of stability in Government). Herself, Leo and the rest of her cronies will not be getting my vote if they force another expensive election.
Typical Leo media stunt. Both in it together anyway as far we all see. One just trying to get media space.
Dail should up sticks and move into the now vacant Lambert Puppet Theatre.
Kids would love it .
@ted hagan: those charred remains of the puppets would be more useful than those other puppets, purporting to represent the people. They represent themselves and their cronies ONLY!
There’s enough potential political chaos on the horizon caused by Brexit to justify deferring any talk of a general election until at least next summer.
Any earlier rearranging of political deck chairs in the Republic would be damaging against the inevitable Brexit iceberg.
Current arrangement isn’t great but it’s good and stable in attempting to sort out messes caused by past collective mismanagement of nation’s finances by all and sundry within Irish establishment.
@Rory J Leonard: I agree. Unless the other parties come up with credible ideas for housing and health and insist they are red line issues if they are to go into coalition. It’s all a waste of time…
@Rory J Leonard: mismanaged by both those parties and you think they will be better together the magic dust is working
You’d have to wonder what the discussion is like between these idiot FF and FG politicians when they meet up for their hyped up meetings and the narrative is about party survival in gov as opposed to any real policy stuff. They might as well have colouring books in those folders because what happens in those meeting won’t mean much to people’s lives but it’ll probably give these idiots more time in the dail screwing the taxpayer.
@Adrian: absolutely, this is the issue though, unless a competent party emerges, this charade will just carry on. Its like in business when there is no competition or a duopoly! This is the impact of no competition! FFG is like Dumb and Dumber! See what issue do these wasters have? they are being elected, outrageous pay and pension for failure, virtually unsackable in their positions, regardless of the level of incompetence and the public come election time wont sack them! Things couldnt be going better for these LIARS and enemies of the irish people!
@Adrian: Watch a old run of “halls pictorial weekly” for the answer in a back room somewhere full of smoke and a few bevies brown paper bags and slaps on the back saying, i’ll step out while you step in again all while laughing their heads off at the poor citizen looking the other way with the smoke and mirror act!
Michael and his lads are heading for a Labour Party type decimation when the nation eventually gets to vote. Leo, is no lionheart, and has no mandate from the people to govern. Mary Lou may well emerge as the new clown at the top!
have your say