TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the next general election will be “wide open”, stating that the three coalition parties right now could get enough votes to form the next government.

Speaking to the media at the opening of the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin, he said it “can’t be ruled out” that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party could join forces again.

He also failed to rule out if Fianna Fáil would go into coalition with Sinn Féin. 

Martin said he believes this government could go the full term until 2025. 

Martin was critical of the assumption that political parties have to make up their minds about whether they will coalesce with Sinn Féin after the next general election, telling reporters:

“I don’t believe that is the premise upon which we should discuss the next general election.”

When asked about whether his party could do business with Fianna Fáil, he said his party wants to work with “like-minded” parties. 

“Sinn Féin says it wants to go into government with the far-left first and doesn’t want to go into government with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael,” he added.

He said there is often an over emphasis on polls, telling reporters that in past elections, they have proved to be way off the mark. 

There are fundamental issues in terms of Sinn Féin’s policy platform, he said, with the Tánaiste hitting out at Sinn Féin’s press release calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.

“I mean, we are serious about being in government. I don’t think Sinn Féin’s press release yesterday on this issue, reflected the government or a party, that we could do business with in government. If the entire response will always be a knee jerk one to court public opinion, as opposed to being serious, about trying to deal with the very grave issue that we’re all facing, that’s just a small example,” he said. 

“It’s policy for me and we don’t align with Sinn Féin on many policies,” added Martin, who said there’s enough parties there that might form an alternative.

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Speaking about the difference in policies between Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said Sinn Fein are casting a “dark shadow over people’s hopes of owning their own home with their relentless assault on home ownership”.

Sinn Féin are for abolishing the Help-to-Buy scheme, said O’Brien, pointing out that so far it has supported over 40,000 home buyers.

“They commit to scrapping the new First Home Scheme which in just over a year of existence has seen almost 7,000 registrations and more than 2,850 approvals issued.

“Finally they commit to ending the Vacant and Derelict Property Grant which provides grants of up to €70,000 people to refurbish a home. More than 4,000 applications have already been received by Local Authorities across the country for this grant,” said the housing minister. 

“When you ask them what they will replace these very popular direct supports with, nothing, silence, because there is no plan,” said O’Brien.

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