Tánaiste: 'No discussion' between coalition leaders on early election
Agreed Will picture: Martin Boal/collins 'we Sam Finish Tánaiste Agenda,' Said Our Micheál
There has been “no discussion” between the three coalition leaders about calling an early election, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.
At the annual Dublin Chamber dinner tonight, Mr Martin poured cold water on speculation that a November election could be called.
He said all three party leaders had “reaffirmed” their commitment to completing their mandate when Fine Gael and the Green Party changed leaders.
“I can tell you equally clearly that nothing has changed. There have been no discussions about finishing our mandate early,” Mr Martin said.
He described the ongoing speculation around election dates as being “idle, corridor gossip” that has been elevated to “headline news”.
“It strikes me that a lot of people forget that the average Irish person does not wake up in the morning eager to spend the day guessing at election dates,” Mr Martin said.
“And a problem with a situation of fevered speculation is that it crowds out much more important matters.”
He said that previous governments have been known to be either unstable or distracted by “short-term politics”, but that the three parties agreed, upon the Government's formation, that this could not happen.
The Tánaiste cited a number of key pieces of legislation that need to be passed before an election is called, including in mental health, libel law reform, and enacting the mammoth planning bill.
“Most of all we have to show that we can be true to our word in putting the people before politics,” he said.
“We will finish our agreed agenda and then, in accordance with what we have repeatedly promised the public, we will turn to offering our new priorities for a new mandate for each of our parties.”
Mr Martin said the act of governing is “much harder work than campaigning”.
Mr Martin also backed up the government’s decision to spend €9m on pouches to prevent the use of smartphones in schools.
He said that across the world, public health doctors and educators have “sounded the emergency bell about smartphones in schools”.
“We have to act with urgency and use solutions that are working in school systems in many other countries,” he said.
“People who claim that clear plastic zipper bags are a credible way of ending smartphone use during school time are not serious people, and we need a far less superficial approach to urgent education discussions.”