Election 2024: Six things we learned on the campaign trail today
Sin Féin's Mary Lou McDonald speaking to students at the launch of Sinn Féin policy document for young people at the DCU, Dublin, ahead of the General Election on November 29. Picture: PA
I know, shocking.
Sinn Féin on Friday laid out its plans for a united Ireland that would give MPs from the North speaking rights in the Oireachtas and see a green paper published within 100 days.
The party says it will "commence planning for and actively working toward the holding, by the end of this decade, of the referendums on Irish reunification provided for in the Good Friday Agreement".
However, Tánaiste Micheál Martin was cooler on the idea, saying that a border poll won't happen in the lifetime of the next government.
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"I believe in the unity of the people. The precise political configuration that reflects that will evolve over time. I don't see (a border poll) happening in the next five years. I'm trying to be honest and realistic with people," he said.
The Independent Ireland party launched its manifesto which promises to establish a department of efficiency and reform. However, this would not be a government department and instead would be an “independent watchdog for government spending”.
The new entity would be “recruited from the private sector” and “dedicated to monitoring and improving public sector spending”.
The party estimates that it would cost €45m to set up the new department and it would have an annual budget of €15m.
The manifesto states the goal would be to deliver 10% savings of 2024 government spend over the course of the next government.
Social Democrats called for a review of the CAO points system to be carried out in order to develop a fairer framework for third level admissions.
Speaking at the launch of the party's manifesto for young people on Friday, councillor and general election candidate Aidan Farrelly said the current system is "dysfunctional".
"We need to do this in partnership with young people, teachers and higher education institutions," he said.
The manifesto also pledges to reduce third-level fees by phasing out the student contribution charge and increasing funding to the SUSI grant.
Mr Farrelly also said that consideration should be given to lowering the voting age for local and general elections to 16.
"Sixteen is the age that young people gain many rights and responsibilities in society. They can leave school, seek employment and pay taxes. Greater engagement in the democratic processes for them should be part of a broader discussion on constitutional change," he said.
It is "the height of arrogance" for the Taoiseach to be dismissing potential coalition partners before one vote has been counted, Catherine Murphy has said.
While the Social Democrats will talk to anyone during government formation, Ms Murphy said they will wait until the people have the chance to cast their votes.
There was further criticism for Mr Harris from the Labour Party as Ged Nash echoing Ms Murphy's comments that it is "arrogant in the extreme" for him to rule out coalition partners ahead of election results.
"As far as I am concerned, speaking to people on doors in my constituency of Louth, they do not trust this government to introduce the change that people in this country need," Mr Nash said.
"Neither are we picking up any suggestion that they have any confidence in Sinn Féin to do that."
He said the next government should include "adults in the room" and the Labour Party are those adults.
Mr Harris's suggestion that a government should not include more than three parties - essentially ruling out a left alliance which Labour has pushed for - is "dismissive of the view of the Irish people", Mr Nash said.
Paschal Donohoe has said that no one could have done a better job as justice minister than Helen McEntee.
On Friday, at an event outlining Fine Gael plans to make Dublin City safer, Mr Donohoe said he has been proud to work alongside the outgoing Minister.
"I believe she has done a sterling job and is an exemplary colleague and politician," he said. "I couldn't be stronger in making the case for her."
Mr Donohoe defended Ms McEntee's record in her role pointing to the €2bn budget designed to support An Garda Síochána, legal changes made to ensure that crimes against the person are dealt with "in a way that we believe is appropriate" and the rolling out of body cams.
"I could make the case to you about further local changes that have happened. The fact that we have reopened Fitzgibbon Street Garda station and the fact that there is now a Garda office on O'Connell Street," Mr Donohoe said.
"But I do acknowledge that for too many at the moment they want to feel safer when they come into Dublin. They feel that there is an air of edginess that has developed that I have to recognise and we have to act on."
He declined to speculate on who might or should take on the justice portfolio following the election saying the difficulties the city faces are complex but said he believes if a Fine Gael government is elected, it can make progress on the issue of safety.
After Taoiseach Simon Harris poured cold water on the idea of doing a deal with a combined Labour-Social Democrats - Green Party bloc, Tánaiste Micheál Martin seemed to agree.
Speaking in Navan, he said that governments need to be "decisive" and "coherent".
"We've had a government of three parties, and at times, that is challenging in terms of various prioritisation of projects and so on like that.
"But I think we have to really focus on the issues. I think one of the big problems in modern Irish politics is there tends to be too much focus on process and not enough on the substance of policies and the issues that people are most concerned about. Because what, what's what enabled the last government to pull the full distance - the program for government."
