FF will just shaft us, claim FG TDs
Fine Gael’s deputies cast doubt on grand alliance, fearing Fianna Fáil won’t keep their side of bargain
HIGH-PROFILE Fine Gael TDs have told Enda Kenny they do not want the party to operate as a minority government with Fi a nna Fáil supporting them from the sidelines.
One party member at last night’s FG parliamentary party meeting said numerous TDs voiced concern that such an arrangement would leave the party vulnerable and would be unstable, leaving them damaged in the long-run.
A source said: ‘Many of us said that under no circumstances would we back this idea of a minority Fine Gael government.
‘One TD even went as far as to use the parable of the scorpion and the frog, where a scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river, promises he won’t sting, and halfway through sends them both down by stinging and when asked why, says: “Because it is in my nature.”
‘That is how many people at the meeting clearly felt about Fianna Fáil, they would sting us eventually, and they can not be trusted.’
Another TD spoke of fears that Fianna Fáil would weaken Fine Gael’s electoral standing further in the long run if they were allowed to make demands and possibly not hold up their side of the agreement by giving the Government the votes it needs on a case-by-case basis.
The Fine Gael parliamentary party held a six-hour meeting yesterday at which Simon Coveney apologised to his party colleagues after comments he made about Irish Water which have mired the party in another Irish Water controversy.
The Agriculture Minister apologised to his fellow Fine Gael members for any difficulties that he caused them after he suggested that the party might change its stance on Irish Water.
He had told Tuesday’s RTÉ Prime Time that Fine Gael would be open to negotiating on water during any discussions on the formation of a new government. He had said: ‘Fine Gael will certainly be willing to talk about water.’
Irish Water was discussed at length during the meeting, and has engulfed the party in another water crisis. Earlier in the week the Taoiseach described water charges as a ‘fundamental’ issue for Fine Gael.
It is understood it was reiterated at the Fine Gael meeting last night that ‘Irish Water is a red line issue for Fine Gael’ with one deputy saying: ‘It is going nowhere.’
Finance Minister Michael Noonan also told gathered members that he
‘It’s in their
nature’
believes there will be another general election within 18 months, as he discussed a potential Tallaght Strategystyle arrangement.
Meanwhile Mr Kenny has said he will begin the process of opening talks with other parties and independents from today onwards.
However one member present said: ‘There was some talk of maybe trying to get enough independents together, the Social Democrats and a few others to make a rainbow coalition but the problem there is that Labour have made it clear that they will not be part of the next government. So really, at the end of it all, it seems there is only one option.
‘But it is not clear what shape that will be in, and the real fear is if Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil can’t find a way through, no-one knows what is going to happen then.’
The party discussed its poor campaign which saw them gain just 50 seats but one source said the main thrust of the meeting was letting each member express views about where the party should go next.
In a statement after the meeting, Catherine Byrne, the vice- chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary meeting, said a ‘ process will be put in place to review our electoral process and all voices will be heard in that process’. She described the meeting as ‘open, positive, and constructive’.
The Dublin south-central TD said: ‘We welcomed new members and acknowledged good colleagues who lost their seats.
‘In relation to the formation of a new government the feelings of members is that party’s position is very clear: we agreed to work in a progres-
sive manner towards the formation of a new government, but not at any cost. It is critical that any government formed is a lasting one.’ She said members ‘clearly expressed the view that forming an unstable government is not in the people’s interest’.
On Irish Water, she said: ‘The meeting strongly reiterated its commitment to supporting the Irish Water model as the best and most cost-effective way of providing clean water and decent waste water services. The Irish people have shown enormous resilience in the last number of years and deserve stability.’