Election 2024: Election too close to call after leaders' debate, Micheál Martin says
On Leader Picture: Martin Minister Dublin Press Finance Outgoing Micheál A Fáil In Conference Boal/collins Sam And At Wednesday Fianna Chambers Jack
This election is too close to call following the final leaders' debate, according to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.
Coming from the debate, Mr Martin said he had been anxious to get clarity from Sinn Féin in terms of how it would fund the proposals in its manifesto but said none emerged.
It is a matter of fact and not opinion that Sinn Féin's plans, as they currently stand, would see it discontinue the legislative obligation on any new government to put 0.8% of GDP into the future Ireland funds, he said.
"I don't think they have been honest about it. They should either admit that they are going to repeal the legislation because they want to do things differently and they are entitled to have that position, but trying to fudge it and not be clear on where it is going," he said.
In terms of the potential shocks that may accompany the incoming Trump administration, Mr Martin said it would be important to have a government formed by the time Donald Trump is inaugurated on January 20.
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Mr Martin said there were no winners in a trade war and Ireland would work on diplomatic, political and economic fronts to do what could be done to influence possible events.
External shocks are probably the biggest threat to the economy and have been for some time and even before the election of Mr Trump the global economy was and is in turmoil, Mr Martin said.
The ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the Red Sea crisis were "very significant" pressure points on the global economy and were dragging it back, he said.
As the campaign clock rapidly winds down, the Fianna Fáil leader identified the red line issues were economic policies and disability services.
"I am insisting that education would recruit multi-disciplinary teams to work in-situ in special schools," Mr Martin said.
"The broad picture is in terms of the economic model itself positively pro-Europe and those issues around access to therapy services."
The Cork TD said it had been an enjoyable campaign and said part of being in politics was "having the capacity to like meeting people and engaging with people" in a subtle dig at Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, who has come under fire after abruptly cutting short interactions with the public when they have raised disagreements with him.
Mr Martin also accused other parties of spending "much of their time on negative attacks", saying this had escalated in recent days as "they have seen how positively Fianna Fáil is being received".
Aside from encouraging people to vote Fianna Fáil, Mr Martin declined to steer voters away from voting independent as it is a "sovereign decision for an individual" but he did outline potential drawbacks from having a government made up with a large group of independents.
"I do believe one of the key objectives of a functional general election is to enable the creation of a government and that government must have the capacity to be solid, coherent and last four-and-a-half to five years," he said.
That is what would enable a government to make better decisions rather than decisions taken by a government that is "looking over its shoulder every week", Mr Martin added.