Yes or no? What Fine Gael has said about Sinn Féin

NO TRUCK WITH SINN FEIN JANUARY 8, 2007

Enda Kenny said in response to Bertie Ahern’s comments on Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin: ‘On behalf of Fine Gael let me repeat my position on this matter. Fine Gael will have no truck with Sinn Féin in government. I disagree completely with the Taoiseach’s contention that the only impediment to serving in government is their economic policy.’ WE’LL WORK WITH ANY PARTY MAY 31, 2009 Frank Flannery, then FG director of elections, said in the MoS: ‘In the past, Fine Gael has been doctrinaire in its opposition to Sinn Féin, but I wouldn’t say that is the case now. We are willing to work with any party that has the aim that we have – to get the current government out of office.’ Taoiseach Enda Kenny, responding to the comments by Frank Flannery said: ‘I made it perfectly clear that Fine Gael would not be doing business with Sinn Féin and I have no intention of revisiting that.’

I RULE THEM OUT JANUARY 2010

Enda Kenny, pictured below, speaking on RTÉ’s Late Late Show, said: ‘The only party I rule out is Sinn Féin, I rule them out clearly before the June elections. There were some matters that were not cleared up, some implications of details in terms of Northern Ireland activity.’

SMART PEOPLE JANUARY 8, 2017

Government chief whip Regina Doherty told one newspaper: ‘There are some incredible people in Sinn Féin, incredibly smart, articulate, thoughtful. And could I work with them? Of course I could, yeah.’ Spokesmen for both Fine Gael and Sinn Féin reacted to the chief whip’s comments by ruling out any coalition. CHANGED STANCE JANUARY 26, 2017 Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: ‘I said I wouldn’t do business with Fianna Fáil so, depending on the result you gave as a member of the electorate, politicians have to work with the result. So Sinn Féin seem to be converted now to a position of changing their stance.’ Sinn Féin’s Mary-Lou McDonald said the party would be open to a coalition role.

NOT COMPATIBLE JANUARY 28, 2017

Enda Kenny said: ‘The Fine Gael position is, has been and will remain not to enter into coalition government with Sinn Féin. As I’ve stated, I don’t believe the parties to be in any way compatible, in particular on economic issues, where Sinn Féin policy would lead to massive job losses and seriously undermine business and investment.’