‘What alternative has Mícheál Martin really offered? He has not changed anything for those most affected by the failures of the minority Fine Gael Government’

BEFORE the last general election there was an effort made by Fianna Fáil to rebrand itself as a progressive force within Irish politics.

This gimmick came about after a couple of years in which the party openly portrayed itself as an organisation undergoing renewal. The Fianna Fáil leadership told everybody who would listen that they were changing. No longer would the self-serving politics of the Galway Tent dominate their agenda.

Despite 14 years at the Cabinet table supporting budgets and policies that led to economic collapse and widespread hardship, Mícheál Martin was cast as a fresh broom to sweep clean the mess at the higher echelons of Fianna Fáil.

However, Teachta Martin’s promotion to party leader was the best indicator that, while the messaging would change, the politics offered by those at the top of Fianna Fáil would remain the same.

The idea of Fianna Fáil Nuá has been exposed as a myth.

Those at the helm see Fianna Fáil as the natural party of government. However, while in Government, the Fianna Fáil leadership wrecked the economy, forced hundreds of thousands out of work and more into exile in Australia, Canada and elsewhere.

Fianna Fáil created the mess for the thousands of households who have either lost their homes or are in mortgage arrears.

It was Fianna Fáil which brought in the Troika, acquiesced to their demands, and gave €64billion of taxpayers’ money to the banks.

The fact is that the narrow interests of those setting the direction of the party has ensured that Fianna Fáil is really the natural party of the status quo.

I am sure this reality dismays many grassroots members who genuinely feel the organisation could be a vehicle for good.

The self-serving instinct of the Fianna Fáil leadership drove the party’s decision to agree the Confidence & Supply Agreement which kept Fine Gael in power. It is an instinct which was again seen in the party’s recent call for tax cuts for property developers in the forthcoming Budget.

The Confidence & Supply deal was struck to ensure that power in this state remained with the establishment. Both Mícheál Martin and Enda Kenny could not risk the emergence of a political dynamic that would truly put ordinary citizens first.

In the Dáil, this instinct has manifested in the catalogue of monumental climbdowns and embarrassingly hollow threats to pull support from the Government. Instead of holding the Government to account, Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members have feigned outrage about the policies they are actively supporting.

And the substance is there for all to see.

During this Dáil term, Fianna Fáil have teamed up with Fine Gael to block action on crisis rents, the outright scrapping of water charges, the reversal of bin charge hikes, and protections for workers on low hours.

What alternative has Mícheál really offered? He has not changed anything for those most affected by the failures of the minority Government.

Under Martin’s leadership, the vanity project of trying to be in government while pretending to be in opposition at the same time is the priority. All the while, more people have become homeless, thousands go without medical treatment, and public confidence in An Garda Síochána has been shattered.

Almost 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement and despite years of hard work by all sections of society to build a political process, Mícheál Martin treats the situation in the North as another arena for cheap party-political point-scoring.

His posturing has been inconsistent, contradictory and opportunistic.

Again, I am certain that this is the source of great ire for ordinary Fianna Fáil members who would like to see a more progressive approach taken by the party in relation to the North, especially in this era of Brexit and the crisis in the political institutions.

Mícheál’s latest move has been to rule out entering coalition with Sinn Féin after the next election. That is his prerogative as leader of his party.

However, he went even further and said that he would do all he can to block Sinn Féin entering government in the South and claimed that Sinn Féin is not fit for government in Dublin.

Why would Sinn Féin be fit for government in the North but not in the South? Unless, of course, the Fianna Fáil leader is of the opinion that Northern citizens wilfully accept a lower standard of governance and representation than Southern voters. I can assure him that is certainly not the case.

Furthermore, Teachta Martin should remember that he does not get to decide who is in a position to discuss government formation. That is something solely for the people to decide. And, make no mistake, Sinn Féin will be seeking a mandate to be in government.

Micheál Martin must be asked what alternative government formation Fianna Fáil propose. Are they going to formalise their relationship with Fine Gael by going into coalition? Will they agree another disastrous Confidence & Supply Agreement?

The reality is that the crises in housing, health and justice will not be resolved without Sinn Féin in government. Therefore, we have a responsibility to talk to all parties following a general election.

Sinn Féin’s goal will be to agree a republican programme for government which contains progressive policies for addressing inequality and disadvantage and promoting Irish unity.

The pursuit of a Brexit response centred on Irish national interests and a Government-led strategy for Irish unity will be also be fundamental to any agreement involving Sinn Féin.

We have had governments for the developers, the speculators, the wealthy and the elites.

This state now needs a government that will deliver for ordinary citizens.

This means building a recovery that leaves no-one behind and uniting our people in harmony and mutual respect. This is the type of government Sinn Féin wants to form.

Are the other parties up for putting such a progressive vision at the heart of politics in Ireland? Time will tell.

One thing is certain – the present leaderships of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will not do it together. They have proven, time and again, that they cannot be trusted to do the right thing.