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IT WILL BE no big surprise if the Dáil does not return next week, according to one Fine Gael TD, who said election campaigning is well and truly underway.
Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd said today that he and every other TD are out canvassing.
The general election “is coming whether it is next week, next month or the month after – it’s here… it’s here and it’s now,” he told RTÉ’s Sean O’Rourke show.
He added that he would like to see the Dáil return as the FAI are due before the Oireachtas Committee on Sport but said “if it doesn’t it won’t be a big surprise”.
His comments come as Fine Gael general election candidates have been given a document targeting Fianna Fáil’s housing policy ahead of the FG parliamentary party meeting on Friday.
Holding a parliamentary party meeting on a Friday, and dragging rural TDs away from their constituencies days before the Dáil is set to return, is seen as a most unusual move and is fueling speculation that the Taoiseach might cut and run from his deal with FF and call an early general election.
The party meeting is to be held after Leo Varadkar meets with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin on Thursday evening to discuss when the next general election might be.
While all eyes will be on the outcome of those talks, which will ultimately decide whether the public go to the polls next month or whether this government can keep the show on the road, the Fine Gael document is seen as the latest attack in the party’s not-so-subtle ‘reckless Fianna Fáil’ campaign the party has been pushing the last few months.
The Fine Gael briefing document attacks Fianna Fáil on housing policies, which are dubbed as, “illegal, counterproductive, already in place or paper thin” by TD Colm Brophy who drafted the brief.
The document states that Fine Gael know Fianna Fáil’s game plan when it comes to the election and housing issues stating that the party will “endlessly criticise the Government’s housing plan”.
“When asked to present their own policies, they will only produce soundbites. They will not produce any meaningful policies until the last possible moment – if even then – so that they avoid all scrutiny of their policies,” it states.
Brophy states that the Fianna Fáil approach will aim to “hoodwink” the Irish people.
The document hits out at Martin’s plan to launch a Special Saver Scheme which will help tenants save up a deposit. Brophy states that Fianna Fáil have not provided a cost for the proposal and argues it will cost an estimated €1.74 billion.
However, the document is seen by Fianna Fáilers as a deflection against the government’s own failings in housing since it entered power.
The number of homeless people in Ireland now stands at over 10,400, according to official figures from the Department of Housing.
The latest report for November stated that there are 6,696 homeless adults and 3,752 homeless children – meaning there is a total of 10,448 people without a home. This is slightly down from October’s figures which showed slightly over 10,500 were in emergency accommodation.
A total of 4,509 adults are homeless in the capital. 2,636 of these people are men and 1,873 are women. Most of those without a home in the capital are aged between 25 and 55.
Fianna Fáil’s Housing spokesperson Darragh O’Brien hit out against the government’s Rebuilding Ireland housing policies today, telling the Irish Daily Mail that they are “failing spectacularly”.
He said the government’s response to housing has been characterised by photo opportunities with hard hats and yellow vests.
Before Christmas, Varadkar said he was not ashamed of his government’s record when it comes to housing.
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After the blueshirts tried and failed with that disgraceful commemoration, I will never ever vote for them again.
They have lost thousands of votes before we have even kicked off with election yet due to how out of touch they are to the everyday Irish man and woman.
Major own Goal , the last thing they should be talking about is a GE, but it can come a day too soon for everyone else.
@Sean Brannigan: Every politician is out of touch with the normal life of every Irish man an woman. They should try life an ordinary life for a while, then they’d have some clue. None of them need bother coming to my door canvassing.
@Declan Moran: but they fixed the road
@Sean Brannigan: this is when the spineless one Martin should pull the plug on the gangsters he has supported for years. It’s his only chance and that’s a slim one at best. A jellyfish has more spine.
“You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes”.
@Sean Brannigan: a quick look at your Facebook clearly shows that you never would have voted for them in the first place, so stop lying!
@Sean Brannigan: why did you vote for them before? You should have known better you fool.
A bit rich coming from Fine Gael
@Jordan Osullivan: My thoughts exactly…who are they to criticise anybody’s housing policy
Please remember the shambles this country is in when they come to your door..challenge them on their policies and why the working person is being screwed over from every angle. Just remember all the scandals, new scandals every day nearly.
@Craig Clancy: or just tell them to feck off!
Fianna Gael housing, health policies etc supported by Fianna Fail. FF and FG one party just two different names.
@KJmadra.: Yep – 2 Cheeks of the same ar$e
@colin: and the liebour party is the thing in the middle!!
FFS, FG criticising FF on housing is like Quasimodo criticising your posture…
FG criticising FF over housing policy has to be some kind of sick joke
Typical of FG blame opposition on the housing problem.. Where’s the mirrors of truth to show were responsibility lies
Both parties have the same basic policy. Protect the landlords. Screw the poor. Ignore the homeless. That’s it.
I really can’t wait to have the snivelling wasters call to or door begging for their gravy train ticket.
@Justice Mickey: You mean the cluless leaflet droppers who cant answer a question…
@MickN:
Yep , unfortunate door fodder.
Well,he should be ashamed.
In June last year :’Government denies UN claim that housing in Ireland is ‘unaffordable’ article on Journal.ie.
In October’18 RTE site had article :’ Why fixing Ireland’s housing crisis requires a change of policy’s by Dr Rory Aherne.
Also (going by September’19 figures), homeless families with children increased by shocking 605% since 2011& homeless children in family units increased by 67.7% since 2011.Where’s the sence of urgency to adequately tackle this especially after numerous reports highlighting devastating effects of homelessness particularly on children?
Total housing stock only grew by 0.4% between 2011-2016& eg only 75 social houses built by LAs in 2015.HAP was introduced in 2014& called ‘social housing’ (privatising social housing!)but last year 94% of rentals were above threshold,only 6% were within HAP threshold.RTE’s George Lee said costs of HAP,RS to rise to €1.7B a year from 2022!
The Irish Times:’Irish Times view on the housing crisis:the Government’s greatest failure.’It highlights that Government’s own National Risk Assessment said the housing crisis is a massive risk to the economy’.!
@Nuala Mc Namara: Sorry 677.7% should be the figure for ncreased in homeless children in family units since 2011 !!
5% of politics is about making political decisions. The other 95% is about who gets to make those decisions.
Bring it on.
This is a prime example as to why the political system is so broken. Political parties spend more time trying to get elected by concentrating on what other parties are doing instead of finding solutions to the problems themselves. All that matters to modern politicians is getting elected. They have no interest in representing anyone except themselves. We don’t need a general election. We need a complete overhaul of the entire political system.
@joe byrne: I would love to see it.. But who will write up the over haul?.. Who would be brought in to organise it..? The ones in power won’t and if they did it would only be to benifit them selves.
@Craig Clancy: it’s not that complicated. Political parties should be made publish their plans for the country with certain targets in the event they get elected. If they don’t meet their targets they should be automatically removed from office and the next biggest party be given a chance. It’s all about accountability because at the moment there is zero accountability.
no one will notice if they never go back. except the news would be shorter
Don’t bother calling to my Door
@Marianne: do t worry they won’t
It wouldn’t matter if they never Return
Brophy states that the Fianna Fáil approach will aim to “hoodwink”the Irish people
Best joke I ever heard…. FG are the king of hoodwinks
A right shower of hoodwinkers
A plague on all their houses!
They , FG , would have some neck to event mention the Word house or housing with the record they have over the last Nine years .What a shower of Muppets.
Bring it on FG can’t wait to see your arrogance nailed
Both parties have very similar policies -only differing in how they enunciate them and point score off one another -as it is effectively so with supply and confidence agreement why not go into coalition for the sake of the electorate -surely between the two of them they should be able to put together a Cabinet with some semblance of ability -the added bonus is SF wud most likely be the main oppositio party and have their policies subject to proper scrutiny and would most likely have to attempt to work in tandem with other opposition politicians.
Fianna Fail are a complete waste of space at the moment and for the last few years!
They claim they will not vote “With” the government but when the government party has a majority abstaining from voting is not only voting for the government but it is a slap in the face for all those who have died to give us and them a democratic vote!
Who cares we already no the outcome FF/FG or FG/FF back in power.. it’s hardly needs a spoiler alert! And then..
More Homeless
More people on trolleys
More bail outs for the bankers
More cuts in education
Less money spent on inner city
Less tax for the upper middle class
But we fall for it every time! So let’s all get out and vote for parties and leaders who do nothing and couldn’t care less, just so we can ‘ feel’ like were involved and doing something when in reality all we’re doing is propping up the cartel that is Irish politics.. they mustn’t be able to believe how gullible the people are to fall for the same old pony every time will out fail… great work people keep up the great work! Brian Cowan pension isn’t gona pay itself
Who cares we already no the outcome FF/FG or FG/FF back in power.. it’s hardly needs a spoiler alert! And then..
More Homeless
More people on trolleys
More bail outs for the bankers
More cuts in education
Less money spent on inner city
Less tax for the upper middle class
But we fall for it every time! So let’s all get out and vote for parties and leaders who do nothing and couldn’t care less, just so we can ‘ feel’ like were involved and doing something when in reality all we’re doing is propping up the cartel that is Irish politics.. they mustn’t be able to believe how gullible the people are to fall for the same old pony every time will out fail… great work people keep up the great work! Brian Cowan pension isn’t gona pay itself
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