Coalition voting pact ruled out as election date speculation continues
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has ruled out a formal voting pact between the coalition partners as speculation about the date of the general election continues.
The coalition leaders — Mr Martin, Taoiseach Simon Harris and Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman — will meet on Monday night to discuss the general election.
Speaking in Cork today, Mr Martin said the election will be fought on issues. He cited issues including the cost of living, housing, healthcare, safe, clean and crime-free cities and towns across the country and a sustainable environment and addressing the needs of climate.
"And so each party will campaign individually with their individual priorities and identity," he said.
"There won’t be any formal pacts but nonetheless we saw during the local elections evidence of the voters deciding to transfer, I think, in accordance with the preferences and priorities around the economic model we have in this country, the pro-enterprise model that we have, the need to protect and advance that.
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"And I thought that was interesting, that there was strong alignment across a wide spectrum of what we might term centre-ground parties."
He said he respects voters, and never tries to "instruct the voter what to do".
"That’s a big mistake," he said.
Mr Martin, who has been saying for some time that he wanted the coalition to serve its full term, insisted that he had not changed his position about the timing of the election.
"In fairness, I would also have said on that occasion the difference between December and February was very minor. I have been saying that consistently for a while," he said.
Mr Martin said that if "the substantial work" of the Government was done, he would not be opposing an election in that timeframe.
"The Gambling Bill has now been passed. The Planning Bill has been passed. I have checked out the Mental Health Bill — it will be challenging to get that through. We also have to get the Finance Bill through.
"I have said consistently — and I have said it to the party leaders — we need to work back from the Finance Bill really in terms of getting that through the Oireachtas properly. Not rushing it — but getting it done competently and properly. That is the substantive agenda completed to all intents and purposes."
He declined to give his preferred election date and said: "It could be (December). I think people are getting a bit tired of this. It could be the end of November or it could be the beginning of December. It is no big deal but that is where it could end up."
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman last week said the election should be held on November 29, saying people are getting tired of the “will they, won’t they” speculation over recent weeks.
Earlier today, Taoiseach Simon Harris insisted that Mr O’Gorman did not go behind his back to call for a November 29 polling day.
Mr Harris said that Mr O’Gorman’s comments were “very upfront” and that he was entitled to set out his preferred election date as the leader of the Green Party.
Speaking at the GPO in Dublin, Mr Harris said that the conclusion of the Government’s work would be done in an “amicable, orderly fashion” before an election is called.
“I do agree with Minister O’Gorman on the need to actually provide a sense of clarity on this and there’s no issue with that at all,” Mr Harris said.
“The specific date is, without being in any way prickly about it, is obviously a matter for me under the Constitution.”
On Sunday, Mr Harris confirmed that the country would see a general election before the end of the year, and he reiterated that on Monday.
Mr Harris said Fine Gael would go into the upcoming election as a “standalone political party”. He echoed comments by Mr Martin, ruling out any formal transfer pact between the three coalition partners.
“I’d obviously try to maximise the number of people who wish to vote for my party and the number of seats we have in the next Dáil,” he added.
Pressed on whether or not he would be pushing for the current coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to be returned, Mr Harris said: “We’re not going into the election with a transfer pact, that is true”.
He said after the local European elections, it is clear that "the public don’t need or wish their politicians to tell them what to do with their votes, particularly their second and third and fourth preferences".
“That is a matter for the people. But, as night follows day, it is entirely possible – if not probable – that if people think the government’s doing a good job, they may wish to vote in that manner. That is for them to decide.”