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Martin: Fianna Fáil's manifesto is "deliberately" modest

The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said his party's election manifesto is "deliberately"...
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

18.18 6 Feb 2020


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Martin: Fianna Fáil's manifest...

Martin: Fianna Fáil's manifesto is "deliberately" modest

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

18.18 6 Feb 2020


Share this article


The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said his party's election manifesto is "deliberately" modest.

He said this is to ensure that there is funding in the case of a downturn.

He was speaking to Ivan Yates, who has been interviewing the different party leaders throughout the campaign.

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Mr Martin was the last leader to take to the chair on Thursday.

Speaking to Ivan in Cork, he said his party is taking stock of the economy.

"We're the most modest package - deliberately so - to make sure that we don't have a crash.

"Or if a downturn happens, as could happen... that we make sure the country's in good shape for that.

"There's no question: we've a growing population, people are living longer - we have to invest in our health services and we have to build more houses."

"Our proposals are not as outlandish as Fine Gael's or Sinn Féin's.

"Some of Sinn Féin's proposals simply will not get done. €4bn of taxes, that Sinn Féin are proposing, in my view with 16 new taxes will impact every person in the country and will cost jobs".

He said more housing - and particularly social houses - have to be built.

But Mr Martin said if economic circumstances changed - such as due to Brexit - their plan would have to also.

"We would absolutely change what we're committing to, we'd have to adapt.

"We would still maintain four-to-one investment, but maybe the level would have to lower if those things happened".

Coalition

But the Fianna Fáil leader defended being in a confidence and supply arrangement with Fine Gael.

"The motivation was an honest one, a genuine one and the correct one to protect the country from a potential no-deal Brexit to allow the Government to negotiate with Europe and the United Kingdom.

"It was the right thing to do cause politicians should not put their own self advancement above livelihoods and jobs in the country, and I make no apology for doing that".

Asked about his frontbench, Mr Martin suggested: "Look at Fine Gale's frontbench - look at what they have to offer.

"I don't want to get personal with people, but they're in no position to be suggesting that they're the 'A-Team'.

"On the ground, we probably have the strongest electoral teams in terms of quality of candidates in many key constituencies... we've more women than any other party".

Asked how he would define success for the party, he told Ivan: "We'd want to go above [45 seats] obviously, and I'd like to be well above 50 seats and we will be".

Asked to describe Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in one word, Mr Martin took a 29-second pause and simply said "spin".

Mr Martin then reiterated his opposition to any coalition with Fine Gael - even if Fine Gael was a junior partner and Mr Martin was in charge.

But he suggested: "People want a fresh government, they want a new government - and that means Fianna Fáil with other like-minded parties.

"I'm not as dismissive of The Green Party and The Labour Party".

Martin: Fianna Fáil's manifesto is "deliberately" modest

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