Election 2024: Micheál Martin heckled by Fine Gael supporter in Simon Harris's hometown
While Co Pictures: Wire Deer Wicklow, Meets Arklow, Martin Micheál Deermuid Lawless/pa Thursday In Canvassing On The Brian
“I cherish the privacy of the ballot box.”
Micheál Martin was not for revealing how he planned to transfer his vote in Cork South Central on Friday, with the Fianna Fáil leader taking a different tack from his Fine Gael counterpart Simon Harris, who urged voters to transfer to centrist parties.
“I think I have a fair idea of who is running in my own constituency, but I’ll have a good look at it tomorrow morning,” Mr Martin said, to laughs from the gathered campaigners.
“There’ll be cameras there as well, but you won’t be allowed to peep over,” he joked.
Standing outside Greystones station, alongside candidate Stephen Donnelly, the Fianna Fáil leader was in good form, but pushed back when pressed again about coalition with Sinn Féin.
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The Tánaiste said he had the support of his party to rule out negotiations with Sinn Féin, while saying he was “intrigued” as to why the question was raised consistently.
“I think it’s raised for mischievous reasons to try and undermine the Fianna Fáil position actually, by some of our rivals perhaps,” he said.
He was firm. Fianna Fáil did not go in with Sinn Féin in 2016 and 2020, and would not in the future.
Attention then turned to the canvas trail, with the Fianna Fáil leader being led up the main street of the town alongside Mr Donnelly.
As the two TDs walked into a Gino’s Gelato, a commotion erupted, with a woman jumping forward and calling for the Fianna Fáil leader to be voted out of office.
Might this be a Sinn Féin voter? A People Before Profit voter? Not so.
This was a Fine Gaeler, who wanted Simon Harris to be returned to the Taoiseach’s office in the days ahead.
Shona Flynn, a Fine Gael member, was emphatic. She wanted Fianna Fáil out of office, describing that “all they care about is money”.
Pressed the most likely formation of a government would be Fine Gael alongside Fianna Fáil, Ms Flynn disagreed.
“Well, not really though. Not with Fianna Fáil. He [Harris] won’t be with Fianna Fáil,” she insisted.
The canvas returned to a more normal affair after that, before the Tánaiste departed Greystones for a windy, wet Arklow.