‘SINN FÉIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN LET IN’

AFTER 128 without a government, a historic agreement was finally reached yesterday.

On a busy Grafton Street in the middle of a pandemic, most people didn’t want to stop and talk – many hadn’t even heard the news. For those who had, the majority were unimpressed with the outcome.

William McGuinness, 71, a retired ESB worker would have preferred Mary Lou McDonald as taoiseach. ‘I don’t think much of Micheál Martin anyway,’ he said. ‘I don’t think he’s for the working class people, he’s more for the middle class and the rich. [Sinn Féin] should have been let in. The people voted for them.’

Emma Whelehan, 19, is a politics student who voted for the Social Democrats and also for Sinn Féin in February. However, following Fine Gael’s leadership during the pandemic, she says it has changed her mind – but not completely.

‘I was never a big fan of Fine Gael but I think the way they handled Covid-19 changed my mind on their leadership. But I do think they’re a party for the higher class,’ she said.

Frances Flanagan, 58, who also voted for Fine Gael, is happy with the outcome and only wishes Leo Varadkar was taoiseach. ‘I’m sorry that it’s not Leo again,’ she said. ‘I voted Fine Gael and I really like Leo. I thought that the Government did a fantastic job over the Covid.

Her son, Peter Flanagan, 23, holds very different political views. He voted for Sinn Féin in February and said he hoped to see a ‘fairer Ireland that’s not based on capitalism’. ‘[Leo] is appealing to an older generation who haven’t grown up with the challenges that my generation has,’ he said.

Folk musician Julie Kavanagh, 29, voted for People Before Profit and Sinn Féin and said that artists felt the lack of funding during the last recession and hopes they will not be left behind again. She said: ‘We have so many literary and music tourists and there’s so little opportunity for us during a crisis.’

Brandon Lynch, 21, an International Relations student in DCU, voted for Sinn Féin and is not pleased with a government deal that excludes the party.

‘I think it’s the traditional parties trying to hold on to some power they’re just not willing to give up,’ he said.