Coalition leaders question credibility of Sinn Féin policies on climate change and business

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan strongly criticise main opposition’s policies on finance and climate change

Coalition leaders have questioned the credibility of Sinn Féin’s policies on climate change and business claiming they would greatly harm the State if the main Opposition party was in power.

In separate interviews over the Christmas period, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader were highly critical of key Sinn Féin policy positions.

Mr Varadkar claimed that a single-party Sinn Féin Government would “spark a flight of talent and jobs from Ireland”.

Mr Ryan said Monaghan TD Matt Carthy’s comments that a best-case scenario was no Green Party TDs showed Sinn Féin was “hostile” to the environmental and climate change agendas.

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“The likes of what Matt Carthy is saying, I’m sorry. It’s not just that incident. There are other incidents where he thinks there should not be a single Green TD.

“I’m sorry Matt but that reflects on what you think of the environment, to my mind.

There is a pattern where I don’t think they are actually addressing the environmental crisis seriously. I think that has to change.”

Mr Varadkar told reporters he would raise questions with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald about her dealings with former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall once the murder trial of Gerry Hutch and two co-defendants is concluded.

Asked about comments made by Mr Dowdall which were disclosed during the trial, Mr Varadkar said. “There is a trial that is ongoing. When it is concluded it is fair to say I will raise it then ... The Hutch trial will end and I will be very happy to tackle that in the aftermath.”

Turning to Sinn Féin he claimed the party would spark an exodus of jobs and talent.

‘In terms of my concern about Sinn Féin it is in the business sector, it’s not about links with organised crime.

“What people in business understand Sinn Féin is saying is they will increase income taxes on a lot of talent who will then take their talent and jobs away,” he said.

He said that the main opposition party would increase PRSI, including employers’ PRSI, and also would challenge trade deals.

“Of course that says to people in business big and small that there will be fundamental change in our economic policy if Sinn Féin is in Government it will be a change for the worse.”

For his part, Mr Ryan said Mr Carthy’s comments raised questions about some of the leadership in Sinn Féin and their commitment to an environmental agenda.

“I think in instances increasingly, they seem to be hostile to the environmental agenda. And I think they’re out of step with the Irish people in that, out of step on what they’re going to have to do if they were in Government, because there isn’t an option on this.

“And I think there’s a real question when you see comments like that, what is Sinn Féin about? When it comes to this issue? Because it seems to me that is an outright hostility that speaks volumes.”

Mr Ryan also said that if school runs by car were removed – and children travelled to school by foot, bicycle or by public transport – there would be a 30 per cent reduction in traffic each morning.

“If you take 30 per cent out, it frees up the roads for everyone ... It actually makes such sense and it’s also good for kids if you can be more active and more independent. There’s so many benefits. “We need to scale that up, we need to do Safe Routes to Schools, lower speeds outside schools, have better bus services, have better and safer cycling, and footpaths.

He said if someone had to drive the kids to school that was fine. “It’s not like you’re going to shame or put the blame on someone but my experience is anytime we provide good public transport or a safe way of people using active travel, they respond immediately. ... If we provide safe routes to schools, I’m actually convinced most Irish parents will say thank you and most Irish kids would say thank you, and it’s for everyone.”

Harry McGee

Harry McGee

Harry McGee is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times