CLLR JAMES BYRNE, FIANNA FÁIL

I will be supporting the Programme for Government. It is high time a permanent Government is formed after more than four months of a caretaker administration amid the current crisis.

I don’t believe the talk in some quarters of a unity government is feasible. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael won’t talk to Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin said they wouldn’t go into Government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael while Labour and the Social Democrats decided Government wasn’t for them this time around. Where’s the unity in that?

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the landscape utterly since the General Election in February in terms of the economy, society and how we do politics. This is why Fianna Fáil has decided to take the unprecedented step in forming a government with our age old rivals Fine Gael, together with the Green Party. For me the proposed coalition represents significant change, the like of which we haven’t seen before.

The exclusion of Sinn Féin from talks was counter productive in my view. I am not comfortable with the idea of excluding parties from being potential coalition partners in advance of an election or excluding any from government formation talks post-election. I’m very encouraged by the ambitious plans for housing and health while I’m delighted with the review of the pension age as it was such a key issue in the General Election. The proposed investment in public transport and cycling/walking infrastructure is interesting. Here in Drogheda there is still uncertainty over getting two cross-town bus routes up and running previously promised, and the complete lack of properly segregated cycle lanes in Drogheda is obvious. In relation to local government, the language in the PfG suggests that local authorities will be better supported in delivering services and my hopes for a restoration of powers to Drogheda Borough Council