Irish party leaders clash over election promises

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar rejected a claim that it has been a “dishonest General Election” in reference to manifesto promises made by parties.

He said the projections all the parties have used are based on assumptions made by the Department of Finance.

“But I ask you not to put me in the same category as the others,” the Fine Gael leader added.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin also defended his time in government, saying he had learned lessons.

“We have been responsible on budgets. We are the one party not opting to spend the total 11 billion euro,” he added.

“The real issue here is what are one’s priorities.”

Seven political party leaders took part in the live debate on Virgin Media on Thursday evening.

The Fine Gael and Fianna Fail leaders faced off against Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, Labour leader Brendan Howlin, Solidarity-People Before Profit’s Mick Barry, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and the Social Democrats’ Catherine Murphy.

Mrs McDonald said there has been a “narrative of economic recovery”, but that “ordinary people are asking ‘How come I am not experiencing it?’ They need a break”.

“Across the state, families and workers are struggling,” she argued.

“At the same time, the banks those same people bailed out are not paying a cent on profits of 2.4 billion euro (£2 billion).”

Mr Ryan said: “We need more teachers, more guards and more nurses.

“That will require us to have an income to do it.

“I don’t think you can promise tax cuts on one side and there are several parties doing that.”

Mr Barry said: “If you went after the richest 5% and put 2% tax on their net wealth, that would raise just shy of 4 billion euro.”

Mr Howlin said: “It is as if we haven’t went through the last disastrous 10 years. If we are determined to fix the health crisis and solve the housing crisis, we can’t at the same time give mass tax cuts.

“Parties are promising huge giveaways. It’s a con job.”

Asked who owns a home, all the participants raised their hands.

Mr Martin said he is “very strongly” in favour of rent controls adding that more affordable homes and council houses are needed

“There are too many out there who cannot afford to buy their own home,” he added.

Mr Howlin, who is calling for a rent freeze, added: “The biggest cause of homelessness is rising rents.”

Turning to Slaintecare, Mr Ryan said: “This is the prospect of bringing us to a universal health care system where we won’t have to spend so much money on health insurance.”

Mr Varadkar added: “We all have the same policy on healthcare but it has to be funded.

“To implement Slaintecare it will cost 5 billion euro over the next five years, we have provided for that in our plans, Labour hasn’t and the Greens haven’t.”

Ms McDonald described the health system as “dysfunctional”.

“A lot of money is going into health, however we need more beds and staff,” she added.

Asked what year is a reasonable timeframe to hold a border poll, Mr Howlin said he would not put a year on it.

Mr Varadkar replied: “We should have it at the point where I think it would be successful and and will pass.

“The idea should never be dismissed, but if it doesn’t pass it will be divisive and will create division.”

Mr Barry said: “I am for unity of working-class people .

“The time to have a border poll is when the majority of working-class people north and south support change.

Mr Martin said: “All my life my philosophy is uniting Protestant and Catholics, it’s not about victory over one side or the other.

“It’s not about timeline or year, it’s about reducing sectarianism.”

Ms Murphy said that Brexit has brought a united Ireland much closer.

Ms McDonald said Ireland should have a border poll in the next five years.

Mr Varadkar said he is ruling out going into coalition with Sinn Fein in government, not because of their past, but because of their future, he added.

“We would be willing to work with Fianna Fail in a particular circumstance,” he added.

“We are heading into the next phase of Brexit, and as a last resort, rather than have a second election during those talks, we would be willing to co-operate with Fianna Fail.”

Ms McDonald said they want to have a government which looks after the ordinary citizen.

She said the “very best” outcome would be a government without Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.