Banking on change: Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin joins Irish Independent Group Head of News Kevin Doyle and Deputy Political Editor Philip Ryan for the ‘Floating Voter’ podcast. Photo: Owen Breslin

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused the Central Bank of forcing people into rental accommodation rather than home ownership.

Mr Martin launched the astonishing attack on the financial regulator and also targeted the Department of Housing with just days to go before the country goes to the polls.

Speaking to Independent.ie's 'Floating Voter' podcast, he said: "The Central Bank and other elites in society believe that everybody should have been renting."

Within days of potentially becoming Taoiseach, Mr Martin said this view has had a direct influence on Fine Gael's housing policy.

"I think that's how the housing system programme developed and the HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) programme and now we're spending €700m or €800m on rents and different forms of interventions," he said.

Mr Martin said the lack of social housing is overcrowding the rental market and resulting in extortionate rents.

He said Fianna Fáil would make significant investment in social and affordable housing if it is leading the next government.

He said he did not share the "philosophy" of former Fianna Fáil housing minister Michael Finneran, who shifted the then-government's social housing programme towards the rental market in 2010.

Mr Martin said he has been "banging the drum" about social housing construction for the last six years in the Dáil.

Separately, he said Fine Gael "overplayed" its role in Brexit negotiations and would only say it did an "OK" job in securing a deal for Ireland.

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"I think they did OK. I've no issue with them in terms of negotiating Brexit but I don't believe it's something that no one else can do or that somebody is more superior than other people," he said.

He also raised questions about European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee's role in the negotiations.

"Take Helen McEntee for a second, Helen McEntee had no experience going into the job. She was mental health first and I had dealings with Helen when she was mental health minister," he said.

"I think she did OK but I don't think she's been directly involved in the negotiations," he added.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Ms McEntee and Tánaiste Simon Coveney are the only two people guaranteed to retain their portfolios should Fine Gael be returned to government.

Mr Martin said the EU should have offered former UK prime minister Theresa May a better deal because her successor Boris Johnson is seeking a harder Brexit.

He said Mr Johnson wants to leave the customs union and the single market and has caused a "high noon" situation by setting a deadline for talks later this year.

The Fianna Fáil leader insisted he was not in government with Fine Gael over the last four years.

However, he did reveal he was being continually briefed by Government officials in Brussels and the Department of the Taoiseach throughout the negotiations.

He admitted his party "took a hit" for facilitating Fine Gael through the confidence and supply agreement, but said he also received support for ensuring there was a stable Government during Brexit talks.

"People were angry about housing and angry about health," he said. "A lot of people were coming to me saying 'pull down the Government'.

"A lot of people were saying don't but there was a certain group of people, friends of mine saying, 'for God's sake, pull the plug'," he added.

Mr Martin also asked Fine Gael voters to support his party to stop Sinn Féin getting into Government.

Irish Independent