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Fianna F\u00e1il leader Miche\u00e1l Martin says the housing emergency is worse than ever.<\/p>\nFianna F\u00e1il leader Miche\u00e1l Martin says the housing emergency is worse than ever.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin is slamming the Government’s record on the crisis and has also taken a dig at Sinn F\u00e9in over Brexit.<\/p>\n
He says even when Fine Gael ministers are willing to promise action there is a chronic delivery deficit which has turned problems into emergencies.<\/p>\n
Addressing the party’s President’s dinner last night, he says we have the lowest home ownership in our history and at the same time the cost of rent is increasingly pricing young people and families out of the market.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader says worst of all, there are 10,700 people homeless, the highest in our history and last month alone 70 more children became homeless for the first time.<\/p>\n
He says every positive development is one which is forced on Fine Gael and every target they have committed to has been missed.<\/p>\n
Moving on to the next election, he says his party will be rewarded for its stabilizing force during Brexit.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin threw down the gauntlet to party members in a speech criticizing the Government as the country looks to the next election, expected early next year.<\/p>\n
The 2020 budget last week was the last that Fianna F\u00e1il said they would agree to, as they seek to end their confidence and supply agreement with Fine Gael after almost five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look across to London and the collapse of their politics I think no one can doubt that Fianna F\u00e1il was right in saying that we could not risk this happening in Ireland,\u201d Mr Martin said during a speech in the Clayton Hotel, Dublin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn spite of many, many reasons to force an election, we said that Ireland couldn\u2019t afford to be left without a voice in Brexit and had to show to Europe and the world that the Brexit madness would not be let into our politics.<\/p>\n
“We have put the national interest first at a critical moment. This has been no time for politics as usual and we have responded appropriately.”<\/p>\n
There have been a number of reports that Fianna F\u00e1il TDs and supporters had been unhappy with the continued backing of the Government during a number of notable scandals, including CervicalCheck and the housing emergency.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin thanked supporters for staying the course, acknowledging the disharmony among some members.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that this has been tough for many of our members because they are straining to take our message of change to the doorsteps,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin added that there will be an election next year \u201cunless the Taoiseach decides to try to pull a stroke of some sort because he thinks it will benefit him\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin has often criticized his rival for \u201cpolitical spin\u201d, and last night\u2019s speech saw Leo Varadkar come under fire for his government\u2019s \u201cfailures\u201d in office, which Mr Martin said was reflected in the polls in May when Fianna F\u00e1il was the largest party in local government.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not forget that this was done against the background of a relentless campaign of using public money to promote government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the largest and most cynical government marketing campaigns ever undertaken.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe public didn\u2019t fall for it, and instead chose to support our message of candidates focused on delivering community development and responsive public services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said his party\u2019s approach to the next election will be to offer a positive alternative.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur country needs a change of government and we are determined to make sure that it gets a change of government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n