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The leader of Fianna F\u00e1il has said the party will \u201clisten to the people\u201d following the Sinn F\u00e9in surge in the General Election.<\/p>\nThe leader of Fianna F\u00e1il has said the party will \u201clisten to the people\u201d following the Sinn F\u00e9in surge in the General Election.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin has consistently ruled out the prospect of entering a coalition government with Sinn F\u00e9in, however appeared to soften his stance as results from Saturday\u2019s poll rolled in, showing Sinn F\u00e9in making historic gains across the country.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin referred to a \u201cfragmented political landscape\u201d, while speaking from his native Cork south central, where he had still not been elected on the third count, seeing Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Donnchadh O Laoghaire elected on the first.<\/p>\n
However, as he arrived at the Nemo Rangers GAA Club for the Cork South Central count Mr Martin said policies do not change overnight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we are looking at a far more fragmented political landscape historically,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also looking at considerable volatility in voters because I was just watching this morning, people getting elected today who didn\u2019t get elected in local elections six months ago, so that\u2019s interesting that people are quite volatile from election to election.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat said, one\u2019s policies and one\u2019s principles don\u2019t change overnight, and there are serious policy issues and for any government to sustain into the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has to be a coherent sustainable program for government that can be implemented and delivered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe election result has happened, we will listen to people, we have listened to the people, they have voted in the main for three main parties.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s other parties like the Greens doing well and independents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is significant incompatibility in terms of the policy platforms of ourselves and Sinn Fein.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just have to put that marker down.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople have one good feat and will win well in terms of different constituencies, I respect that, I acknowledge that, but our policies, our positions and principles haven\u2019t changed overnight or in 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cBut what is important is that the country comes first, after the last general election, we did facilitate the formation of a functioning government and I think there is an onus and an obligation on all to ensure that such a functioning government is formed after this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some within Fianna F\u00e1il have stated that they are open to the prospect of working with Sinn F\u00e9in, including John McGuinness in Carlow Kilkenny who on Sunday urged Mr Martin to speak to Fine Gael, Sinn F\u00e9in and Independents about forming a new Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite clear that the message from the electorate is that we must speak to every party, including Independents, to try and bring together a government,\u201d he told RTE.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would be supportive of the party discussing the government with Sinn F\u00e9in, and Fine Gael and Independents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day has come when we need to put aside all the differences with Sinn F\u00e9in and Fine Gael and deal with the economic issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Marc MacSharry in Sligo\u2013Leitrim was also not ruling the idea out, telling RTE: \u201cWe\u2019ll have to see what happens with the arithmetic (when votes are counted).\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Fianna F\u00e1il\u2019s director of elections in Donegal Brendan Byrne has called for an internal party debate about going into government with Sinn F\u00e9ein.<\/p>\n
He said that the party must listen to what the public is telling them, and that they have an obligation to make every effort to put together a government, including considering Sinn F\u00e9in, and that the public does not want another election.<\/p>\n