Fine Gael TDs are likely to discuss Taoiseach Enda Kenny's statement about a possible coalition with Sinn Féin at next week's parliamentary party meeting, according to a TD who has been critical of Mr Kenny's leadership.
Carlow-Kilkenny TD Pat Deering, who has previously called on Mr Kenny to stand down as party leader, said it was "way off the mark" for the Taoiseach to decline to rule out a future coalition with Sinn Féin.
Mr Kenny’s comments were in response to an interview Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald gave to The Irish Times, in which she raised the prospect of her party entering a coalition government after the next election as a junior partner.
‘Not helpful’
Mr Deering said Mr Kenny’s statement was “not helpful” and was likely to be raised at next week’s meeting of the parliamentary party.
Speaking to political correspondents in Dublin on Thursday, Mr Kenny declined to rule out a possible coalition with Sinn Féin, though he said he did not envisage such a scenario arising in the near future.
Asked a number of times about Ms McDonald's remarks, the Taoiseach responded: "I said I wouldn't do business with Fianna Fáil so, depending on the result you gave as a member of the electorate, politicians have to work with the result."
Other Fine Gael TDs said they had received negative feedback from party members on the issue yesterday, but one TD privately said he did not see what all the fuss was about and would share power with Sinn Féin if required.
Mr Kenny's Mayo constituency colleague, junior minister Michael Ring, told RTÉ such a scenario could not be ruled out, adding that Sinn Féin would be in government at some stage.
Mr Kenny’s spokesman also defended the Taoiseach. He said what Mr Kenny “actually said yesterday was that Sinn Féin as a party are a long way from becoming a desirable coalition partner and he would not see a coalition with them in the near future”.
“Sinn Féin have finally realised – at least some of their members – that there is a glass ceiling on carping from the sidelines.
“Coalition with Sinn Féin is not something that arises – we have a minority Government in place that involved compromise, negotiations and hard work to bring together. Their current economic policy is completely incompatible,” the spokesman said. ‘
Having a laugh’
Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin asked if Mr Kenny was “having a laugh”. “Why would any self-respecting republican want to be in a coalition with a right wing partitionist party?”
Significantly, a number of first-time Fine Gael TDs – such as Peter Burke, Colm Brophy, Noel Rock and Kate O'Connell – ruled out such an arrangement with Sinn Féin.
Mr Rock said: "Enda Kenny has made it clear he will not lead Fine Gael into the next election and he is, therefore, highly unlikely to be involved in the formation of any future Fine Gael led coalition."
Ms O’Connell said: “Any future coalition partners will not be his call as he has already indicated he wouldn’t lead Fine Gael into the next election. So I’m not 100 per cent sure what he’s trying to achieve with his comments.
“ I wouldn’t consider a coalition with Sinn Féin would be acceptable to any reasonable people within the party – now or in the foreseeable future.”
Mr Brophy said: “God knows Fianna Fáil have their faults, but they are a modern democratic party; Sinn Féin is not. As long as that remains the case they should not be in government.”
Mr Burke said he could not “countenance Fine Gael going into power with Sinn Féin”.
Alan Farrell, a second term TD, said talk of a coalition with Sinn Féin was "nonsensical and concerning".
“Putting the history associated with Sinn Féin aside for a moment, their economic policies alone would disqualify them from ever entering government as part of a coalition with Fine Gael.”