LIVE: Election 2024 — Calls for left-wing transfer pact backed by Sinn Féin
Mary Lou McDonald said that recent polls show that her party is in a position to lead a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has backed calls for a left-wing transfer pact in Friday's election.
Ms McDonald said that recent polls show that her party is in a position to lead a government without Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
However, Ms McDonald accepted that doing so will require other parties and urged the public to vote for Sinn Féin and to continue their preference for left-wing parties if they want to see a change of government.
Ms McDonald was speaking in Cabra and reacting to an Irish Times poll which shows that her party is now in second place with just days to go before the election.
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The poll shows that support for Fine Gael has dropped by six points in just two weeks in a campaign littered with missteps. Simon Harris's party sits third on 19% of support, with Fianna Fáil up two points to 21% and Sinn Fein up a point to 20%. Asked if she believed her party now has momentum, Ms McDonald said she would continue canvassing for every vote.
"It's clear now that there can be a government led by Sinn Féin. We believe that that momentum will intensify in the coming days. Meanwhile, Micheál Martin seems to be intent on putting Fine Gael back in government. That would make their term in government 19 years long.
"If you want a change, Sinn Féin can lead an alternative government. We're asking people to vote for us on that basis, we are also saying to people to transfer their votes thereafter to others who similarly want to see that change."
Ms McDonald said that people had been considering what the next five years might look like and "in increasing numbers, people have concluded that Fine Gael in government is bad news".
"As a matter of fact, the only person who hasn't caught on to that, it seems, is Micheál Martin. He seems to be hellbent on putting them back in and the rest of the of society is looking at this thinking that's not a good idea."
The Sinn Féin leader also hit out at Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for putting forward "doomsday scenarios" in relation to the Irish economy in light of the election of Donald Trump in the US.
"Some of what they've had to say, I think, borders on [talking up doomsday scenarios]. But just remember when Trump was in office before, corporate tax receipts didn't fall. As a matter of fact, they jumped by 60% so this has to be managed constructively in a mature, thoughtful way. We don't need now doomsday scenarios painted up."
Asked about her party's plans for affordable housing, which would see the state own the land upon which the homes were built, Ms McDonald denied suggestions that banks will not lend to the scheme. She said that housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin and finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty had "met with the banks now on a number of occasions".
"The crux of their concern is in the event of a default, they want to be sure that they will get their capital back, not an unreasonable proposition from the banks. So we have made clear to them that in an eventuality like that, where default leads to the sale of a property, they will have first call, and they will get their money back."
Labour is doubling down on its commitment to speaking to left and centre-left parties and TDs after a new poll showed the party is the public's top choice to enter as a junior partner in a new coalition.
Party leader Ivana Bacik said that the best way to address long-running issues such as housing is through policies shaped by a centre-left vision.
The only practical way to achieve this is for those parties who share centre-left values to "come together after the election in a common platform and to then enter any programme for government talks from that common platform base because that gives the critical mass of numbers the strength of bargaining," said Ms Bacik.
She said the Labour Party has "significant differences" with all three of the biggest parties but did not rule out the possibility of entering a coalition with one or more of those parties.
Ms Bacik said that neither she nor the party's other candidates are taking anything for granted and will remain focused on fighting for the maximum number of seats but "after the election, if I am returned to the Dáil, my absolute priority and commitment is to speak first to those parties and those centre-left TDs who share our vision and values".
Responding to the perceived upswing in support for the Labour Party, Ms Bacik said it is down to an appetite for change following two successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil governments that failed to deliver on the issues impacting voters the most.
"That is what is bringing about discontent, frustration and indeed, distress among the people that we represent. Distress among families who cannot access special needs education for their children, distress among parents of autistic children, distress among carers which has been expressed most recently by Charlotte Fallon," said Ms Bacik.
The Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll found that — aside from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin — more than one in five voters wished to see Labour in government.
Heading into the final days of the election campaign, Friends of the Earth found the Labour Party is the only party to receive an A grade in an independent assessment of the climate action pledges in party manifestos.
Ms Bacik was not surprised to learn of the review saying the party has consistently pushed for greater action on climate change.
The Dublin TD was speaking at the launch of the Labour Party's Dublin manifesto in which it plans to bring in a directly elected mayor for the capital by the end of 2026.
The mayor would have responsibility for oversight of 15 policy areas including homelessness, housing, community healthcare, transport, the environment and emergency services.
Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said that when Dublin does well and has "serious politicians", Ireland does well.
