Leaders’ debate: Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil target Sinn Féin’s economic policies

Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin targeted Sinn Féin's economic policies as reckless and likely to cost jobs in last night's final televised debate of the general election campaign.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also came under pressure on a possible coalition government, when she did not rule out voting for either Mr Martin or Mr Varadkar for Taoiseach and also for her position on the Special Criminal Court.

But she responded strongly on housing, claiming that “Fianna Fáil was and is the party of property developers and Fine Gael is the party of landlords”.

The three main party leaders all sought to claim the mantle of change in the final televised debate of the general election campaign last night, with all three landing blows on their opponents but also suffering moments of discomfort.

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Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar claimed that his government had been leading change, but warned that not all change is change for the better, citing Sinn Féin’s plans for tax increases and spending increases. He said Fianna Fáil “will wreck the economy again” and said voters would get change with Sinn Féin, but “change for the worse.”

Fianna Fáil leader Mr Martin said he would bring about “real, immediate urgent change” on housing, on the cost of living and childcare.

Ms McDonald said her priority was a “republican programme for government”, and was often at odds with the two other party leaders. She was also put under severe pressure on the murder of Paul Quinn, when she was forced to admit that Sinn Féin had claimed Mr Quinn was involved in criminality. This contradicted denials made by her in an earlier interview with Bryan Dobson on RTÉ.

‘Merry dance’

Earlier yesterday, Mr Varadkar again attacked Mr Martin, declaring that this was his last opportunity to be taoiseach and that Mr Martin would lead the country a “merry dance” for months before forming a coalition government with Sinn Féin. Mr Varadkar used an interview with the Irish Times Inside Politics podcast to predict a Fianna Fáil-Sinn Féin coalition.

With his party reeling from the latest poll which showed Sinn Féin in first place and Fine Gael in third, Mr Varadkar again focused his attacks on Fianna Fáil, while his deputy Simon Coveney warned that Sinn Féin was offering populist solutions that would have adverse long term consequences.

Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin brushed off the attacks, suggesting they showed that Fine Gael was becoming desperate after the last Irish Times opinion poll which showed the party on course for a crushing defeat.

But Fianna Fáil said it “will not be reconsidering our position” on ruling out coalition with Sinn Féin.

Fine Gael sources admitted that discipline was beginning to break down in some constituencies, with candidates ignoring previously agreed divisions with their running mates.

Meanwhile, health and housing remain the voters’ most important issues, with the economy, climate change and Brexit barely registering when they are asked what should be the priority for the next government, according to the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI opinion poll.