A third of Fine Gael TDs ‘don’t have guts’ to run for election – Sinn Fein TD

A third of Fine Gael’s parliamentary party “don’t have the guts” to run for election, Sinn Fein’s housing spokesman has said.

Eoin O Broin took aim at the party for replacing Leo Varadkar after his shock resignation last week instead of calling a general election.

Eleven TDs from Fine Gael have said they will not stand in the next general election.

These include former enterprise minister Richard Bruton, former education minister Joe McHugh, former agriculture minister Michael Creed, Carlow-Kilkenny TD John Paul Phelan and Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon.

MEPs Frances Fitzgerald, Deirdre Clune and Colm Markey have said they will not contest the European elections in June.

At the weekend, Josepha Madigan said she was resigning as Minister of State and would not be seeking re-election, while Kerry TD Brendan Griffin said that Simon Harris’s leadership did not change his mind on leaving politics.

Speaking on Monday, new party leader Mr Harris said he will meet members of the parliamentary party to “take stock of where they are at”.

He said: “People in any walk of life can decide to step back for a whole variety of reasons and I just want to talk that through with everybody and get a sense that everyone is happy with their decision – and also to take their counsel and to take their advice.”

Asked if he would be making more than one change to Cabinet, Mr Harris said he had yet to sit down with the leaders of the other coalition parties.

Opposition parties have been pushing for a general election to be called; Mr Harris’s nomination for taoiseach is to be put to the Dail on Tuesday April 9.

Speaking on Monday, Mr O Broin said it was “interesting” that Mr Harris said during his speech at a Fine Gael convention on Sunday that he wants to serve out his full term.

“Of course he does,” Mr O Broin said.

“He desperately wants to avoid putting his party’s disastrous record on housing, health and cost of living to the people – a third of his own parliamentary party don’t have the guts to contest the next general election and hear the verdict of the people.

“That’s hardly a vote of confidence in the party’s record. So what do we want? We want to see a general election.”

Mr O Broin was also critical of a lack of emphasis on housing during Mr Harris’s speech upon being elected as Fine Gael leader.

Asked about the comments, Mr Harris said he wants to “support” housing minister Darragh O’Brien in making “more progress”.

He said: “Government must have and Fine Gael must have the moral courage to admit and acknowledge areas that we want to do better and we want to do more.

“We have an excellent housing minister working extremely hard, he has my full support. Add I want to support him in my new role in making sure we can make even more progress.”

He said there were conversations ongoing in Government in ensuring the Department of Housing had enough capital funding.

A Fine Gael spokesman further added: “We have the guts to govern rather than opt out and sit on the sidelines as Sinn Fein did following the last general election.

“We know things have been a bit quiet lately for Deputy O Broin, but Fine Gael will never take a lecture on democratically electing a leader from Sinn Fein who have never publicly elected a leader.”

“Deputy O’Broin would be better to focus on the issues that matter to people, which is what we’re doing as we focus on getting back to basics such as small business and law and order. We’re still waiting on Sinn Féin to provide detailed plans on their €300k homes. It’ll be 100 days since they announced it soon.”

Asked if Sinn Fein would commit to calling for an election if in government and their leader resigned, Mr O Broin said: “We have no plans to change our leader and let’s deal with government formation on the other side of the general election.

“The priority now is to have that general election.”

He added: “There’s a palpable sense in many communities that, in fact, despite the fact that the so-called party of law and order has been in government for so long, there simply isn’t enough law and order about the place.

“So I don’t think anybody watching the thumping speech of Simon Harris yesterday would be in any way reassured that this government is going to do anything different in terms of ensuring that our streets are safe, and our communities are safe.

“I’d like to hear what the minister is going to do to address for example, garda numbers, to address city crime, and to address other key issues, particularly in those parts of the community where crime is at its worst.

“There was very little of substance that I heard from the minister yesterday, that’s where my real concern is.”

Mr O Broin was speaking as he launched a bill that aims to give gardai additional powers to stop illegal evictions, which the TD said would act as a deterrent.

Asked whether a new leader would bring about better energy in the Dail, he said: “The people I represent don’t need energy, they need homes.

“The people I represent need hospital appointments, their children need vital surgery for life-changing conditions.

“So Simon Harris might have some energy on TikTok, what people want to know is, is he going to do anything different?”