TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government is yet to complete its mandate, telling a packed out room of Fianna Fáilers in Dublin this evening that there is “very important work to finish which cannot be rushed”.

At the Fianna Fáil Cáirde Fáil Dinner at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin, Martin used his speech to hit out at Sinn Féin, defend the recent decision to spend €9 million on phone pouches for students and also dampen election speculation. 

Speaking to 1,200 Fianna Fáil members, he said there has been an “enormous amount of speculation has been around in recent weeks about the timing of the next general election”.

“That timing was agreed four and half years ago when the three parties agreed to join together in a coalition government. It was reaffirmed by each party leader when the leadership of the other parties changed.

“The entire strategy of this government has been based on putting aside politics and focusing on our agreed agenda,” he added. 

Questioned about reporters about the election speculation, he said the three party leaders meet on weekly basis to discuss the Dáil agenda. 

“I am sure this issue might arise at some stage in those discussions,” he said. 

Martin said the Taoiseach himself has said he wants to fulfill the mandate of the government.

“I have said the same,” he added. He said there is always an opportunity for the three coalition leaders to raise an issue of importance at such as that, stating “that hasn’t occurred”.

Logistics

“I am very clear where I stand on it,” he said, stating that there are a number of things that need to happen before an election date is announced. 

“The logistics of the next while are interesting. The Finance Bill has to happen, the Oireachtas will want to scrutinise that I imagine and then you have the Social Protection measures. Then you have the Mental Health Bill, the Defamation Bill and the Gambling Bill. They are the key ones we identified some times ago as ones we would like to get over the line,” said the Tánaiste.

Martin said the three party leaders have said they want to “go the full distance and until that changes I really have no further comment,” he said. 

“In accordance with our agreements, we will finish our important work, complete our term and then seek support for our individual programmes,” Martin said tonight. 

His comments come as a poll in the The Sunday Independent puts the party down two points to 19%, with Fine Gael up one point to 26%. The Greens are unchanged at 4%.

Dismissing the poll result when put to him, the Tánaiste told party members tonight that Fianna Fáil has defied four years of polls and commentary predicting that Fianna Fáil was training in a distant third place.

Criticism of Sinn Féin

The party leader hit out at Sinn Féin three times in his speech this evening, firstly highlighting the press officer controversy this week and stating that Sinn Féin “ran away from the media as soon as the questions got difficult”.

“In the Dáil the leader of Sinn Fein was active shouting “Bring it on” and calling for an election next month – but then she disappeared from the airwaves in order to avoid basic questions about her party’s behaviour,” he told the room of members this evening. 

Addressing the issue of phone pouches and the criticism levelled at the Education Minister Norma Foley, he said: 

“And let me say this about the media controversy on smartphone pouches. The deep adverse effects of smartphones on the school environment have been measured throughout the world. It is a core part of what has been called the great public health challenge of our time.

“The introduction of a schooltime ban is urgent and essential. To make sure that schools can implement the ban completely, and to avoid it becoming a constant disciplinary issue, there are proven ways to help.

“This once-off measure of €9m is not only reasonable, but also justified given the educational and mental health benefits it can bring. If you want to see just how cynical Sinn Fein is, they’ve spent the past few days claiming that this initiative is wasteful – while their own Party said absolutely nothing when the Northern Ireland Executive allocated funding for a similar initiative.

“Once again, Sinn Fein has shown that it is by far Ireland’s most partitionist and hypocritical party,” the Tánaiste said.