SHORTALL RULES OUT DEAL WITH MARTIN AND LEO
Head of Social Democrats in refusal to join coalition
The reality is the IRA is gone, gone, gone, it’s not coming back
DAVID CULLINANE ON IRA-DISBANDMENT
SOCIAL Democrats leader Roisin Shortall yesterday ruled out going into power with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael as the country remains in limbo as to what the next government will look like.
Senior political figures from Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein continued to pass the buck over whose responsbility it was to form the next coalition.
Outgoing Fine Gael Health Minister Simon Harris acknowledged people “did vote for change” in the General Election and insisted the onus was on Sinn Fein to form a government.
Mr Harris reiterated Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s previous comments that Fine Gael want to go into opposition.
Ms Shortall said the “numbers aren’t there for a left-leaning government” but added her party was “not interested in perpetuating the kind of government we’ve seen over the last four years with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael”.
Meanwhile, on RTE’S Radio One, Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane was scrutinised over Garda Commissioner Drew Harris’ statement that he agreed with the PSNI’S assessment the IRA’S so-called army council continues to oversee leader Mary Lou Mcdonald’s party.
But Mr Cullinane hit back at the commissioner’s comments, saying:
“The reality is the IRA is gone, gone, gone. It is not coming back.
“The only people who give Sinn Fein any direction are the members of Sinn Fein. The army council is gone.”
Elsewhere, Sinn Fein yesterday announced the first of a series of public rallies to take place over the coming fortnight to bring the conversation about a Government for Change to the people around the country.
Mrs Mcdonald said: “The people voted for change on February 8 and Sinn Fein is determined to deliver on the desire of the people.”
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