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Martin says he can't see FF going into Govt with SF, says housing policies are 'incompatible'

The Tánaiste says he was ‘taken aback’ by the policy launched by Sinn Féin today.

TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has effectively ruled out Fianna Fáil entering into government with Sinn Féin, stating that the party’s new housing policy is “incompatible” with their own. 

Speaking in Iveagh House in Dublin this afternoon, he told reporters: 

“I don’t see Fianna Fáil going into government with Sinn Fein. We want to lead the next government, but that’s a matter for the Irish people in terms of ultimately who they vote for.  

Sinn Féin launched its new plan today, pledging to build 300,000 homes over the next five years, while also stating that it plans to phase out the Help-to-Buy grants. 

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said the Sinn Féin plan is “loaded” against first-time buyers. 

Martin said today that the housing policy is “incompatible” with Fianna Fáil’s housing policy.

He indicated that Fianna Fáil will be developing a “further enhancement of our existing policies on housing” ahead of the next general election. 

 The Tánaiste said he was “taken aback” by Sinn Féin’s housing plan, stating that he believes it is “regressive” and will “damage” the prospects of first-time buyers purchasing a home. 

He said there is a need to be “careful” in terms of creating certainty for those looking to buy a home in the coming years, stating that many first-time buyers factor in government grants and schemes in their calculations of what they can afford. 

Abolishing grants and schemes now will “cause real fears and anguish” among younger people looking to get their foot on the property ladder, he said. 

Meanwhile, part of Sinn Fein’s new housing plan has been slammed as a “Frankenstein-style arrangement” by Taoiseach Simon Harris.

Sinn Féin plans to deliver affordable homes through the state retaining ownership of the land on which the house is built.

It means than an affordable home purchaser would own their home but not the land on which it is built.

“I think there’s a reason why they call the document Home Of Your Own rather than home you own, because the kind of Frankenstein-style arrangement here, in terms of what exactly is the model,” Harris said.

“So are we talking about a situation now where you can own a home, but you won’t own the land on which the home is built?

“We’re going to have a house now that you think you own, you won’t own the land on which it’s built, and then when you go to sell the house, do you kind of need Eoin O Broin’s permission? Who can I sell it to? How much can I sell it for? When can I sell it?

“This is a long way from the home ownership model that is ingrained in people in this country,” he said. 

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 1:05 PM

    I am looking forward to owning a self-driving car. It will be a black Trans-Am named Kit.

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    Mute Caillte
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 3:42 PM

    Mines going to be called Herby

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    Feb 3rd 2015, 4:55 PM

    Sod K.I.T.T. I want K.A.R.R it had it voice display stolen

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 12:03 PM

    Google will no doubt will know every thing about you before you board one of their cabs with an electronic payment.

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    Feb 3rd 2015, 12:46 PM

    Another shameless cross promotion from the Journal….groannnnn !

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 5:16 PM

    Google are currently experimenting with driver less cars.

    They will probably have them equipped with automated lethal gas dispensers so that they could poison anyone that they know that resisting the “New World Order”…

    You won’t ever see me dead in one of these (Pun)

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    Mute Frank
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    Feb 3rd 2015, 5:38 PM

    The above is far fetched tin foil hat talk..

    They will just simply lock the doors on the automated car and wait for heavily armed swat teams to arrive.

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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Feb 4th 2015, 6:08 AM

    As somebody who will never be able to drive, I consider the prospect of self-driving cars extremely liberating. Sorry if I’m being unfashionably positive.

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