Simon Harris bounds from the bunker to greet Micheál Martin in their civil war

Asked about the divisions between the parties, colleagues until a week ago, the Taoiseach said: 'We shouldn’t rewrite history in this campaign either. The last Government worked well together'
Simon Harris bounds from the bunker to greet Micheál Martin in their civil war

Hands Tánaiste General The On Kerry, Election Whilst Micheál Canvassing Ahead Harris Shakes Martin Taoiseach November 29 Voters Killorglin, With Simon Of In

Things have been hotting up of late between Fianna Fáíl and Fine Gael, not least in Kerry where Micheál Martin's party is actively targeting their old comrades for a second seat.

But there was no sign of the inter-party hostility in Killorglin on Saturday morning where Simon Harris emerged from the aptly titled Bunkers restaurant to meet and greet the Fianna Fáíl leader canvassing in the mid-Kerry town.

Harris marched determinedly out of the bunker hailed "Tánaiste" before the pair shook hands with each other and their respective local party candidates before Harris remarked “I’ll see you next week!”.

Just minutes earlier, Mr Harris was asked about “a ceasefire” between the two old Civil War parties. It was put to him that the two parties had been in Government together but were now "taking lumps" out of each other, with the ground war in Kerry particularly intense.

Simon Harris quoted Barack Obama: "I wish all parties luck but as Barack Obama said when he rang Sarah Palin the day she was added as John McCain’s vice president, “I wish you luck, but not too much.” 

The Taoiseach also laid out his party's plans for the country's more senior generations by confirming an "older person's guarantee".

That entails increasing the State pension to €350 during the lifetime of the next Government, and reducing the age of eligility for the household benefits package from 70 to 66 years. He said that will mean cuts to electricity and energy bills for thousands more people. 

Flanked by outgoing Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin and Billy O’Shea, the man hoping to be the next Fine Gael TD for Kerry in the five seater where Fianna Fáil holds one seat, the Healy-Rae brothers two and Sinn Féin one, Mr Harris urged a cheering crowd in Langford Street: "There’s only 12 days left. Put your shoulders to the wheel. Leave nothing in the dressingroom."

They didn't want to find themselves at the count centre in Killarney and having lost because they left ten houses uncanvassed, he urged.

"We're in a sporting county, the match is on. The players are on the pitch.” he said.

Asked about the divisions between the parties, colleagues until a week ago, Mr Harris said: “We shouldn’t rewrite history in this campaign either. The last Government worked well together.” 

Electing a Fine Gael TD in Kerry would “greatly increase the chances of Fine Gael leading the next Government, and keeping the populists out and being able to deliver good, strong stable government for the people of Kerry and Ireland".

"We are contesting this election as an independent party, as are they."

And he promised less ruaille buaille over the next days, as policies would be unveiled.

“I have good respect for the leader of Fianna Fáil, I hope he does for me too.” 

Fianna Fáíl were openly targeting the Fine Gael seat, the Taoiseach was told. But Harris said: “There’s no such thing as a Fianna Fáil or a Fine Gael seat.” He was in Kerry “humbly asking” the people to come and vote for Billy O’Shea.

"There’s an election on. Elections are competitive. There’s one hell of a match underway, if you want to use that sporting parlance but at the end of the day there’s also very serious business here. The country needs stability; the country needs certainty we live in a very uncertain world."

Then it was off to West Cork for the Fine Gael cavalcade.

Earlier, Mr Harris extended his sympathy on the death of John Kenny “a huge loss” - someone who brought so much joy to people on stage and screen and he particularly admired the way he had spoken with great courage y spoken about his illness.

“On behalf of people right across our country, I want to extend my sincere sympathy to the family of John Kenny all his friends his peers and contemporaries.”

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