The parties are sharpening their messages in their last-ditch appeals to voters on the final day of the general election campaign ahead of Friday’s vote.
Sinn Féin has appealed for voters who have traditionally stayed away from the party to “lend us your vote” to remove Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael from office while the two government parties continued to focus on the threat of a shock to the Irish economy.
The final poll of the campaign released on Wednesday night by the Business Post showed the three big parties bunched together with around 20 per cent support leaving it all to play for.
Key Reads
- Miriam Lord on the cavass with Mary Lou McDonald
- Who should I vote for? This candidate comparison tool could help
- Meet the oldest and the youngest candidates running for seats
‘We all make mistakes’: Waterford TD responds to criticism of UHW election display
Vivienne Clarke reports that Waterford Independent TD Matt Shanahan has responded to criticism of an illuminated General Election advertisement for his campaign being used on the grounds of University Hospital Waterford (UHW).
The display appeared on the Dunmore Wing at UHW.
In a statement to WLR News, Deputy Shanahan said: “I wish to apologise for any upset that I caused by using the gable end of the Dunmore Wing to create raise awareness of my election campaign. As humans, we all make mistakes. I was trying as I have done repeatedly in the Dáil, to shine a light on the issues facing our hospital which remains completely underfunded. In this instance, with this activity, I regret any upset caused.”
He added: “I am deeply passionate about University Hospital Waterford, and I hope the people of Waterford know that. My activity was solely directed at keeping UHW and allied services at the forefront of our regional political debate. This has been a learning experience for me, but my determination to fight tooth and nail for the people of Waterford is as strong as ever. I ask you to judge me on my 10 years record of fighting for this hospital and not just this one event. Matt Shanahan.”
Management at UHW also issued a statement to WLR News, saying they were advised yesterday evening of a projected image on the exterior of the Dunmore Wing.
“After engagement with the parties involved, the projection of the image ceased and the vehicle involved vacated the UHW campus shortly before 8pm,” the statement said.
“UHW would ask that any activity of this nature is conducted outside the boundaries of the UHW campus and respect the privacy and dignity of UHW patients, visitors and staff.”
Harry McGee reports that Labour leader Ivana Bacik has said that she is confident her party can gain seats in the General Election and be in a position to establish a strong platform consisting of centre-left and green parties and TDs.
In her final press conference of the campaign Ms Bacik also dismissed Taoiseach Simon Harris’ description of Labour as a centrist party [in an Irish Examiner interview], saying it “smacked of desperation in the last few days of the campaign”.
“I’ve consistently said for many months now, before this election campaign even started, that the first thing I will do is go to the leaders of other parties and groupings who share a centre-left and green vision, and those values that we hold here in the Labour Party,” she said.
Ms Bacik said that party’s main campaign message was to create what she said was an “active State” that would drive a radical reset of housing policy, and deliver a publicly-provided childcare system.
She said her party would deliver the homes people need, tackle the “scourge of vacancy and dereliction”, and provide stronger protection for renters.
“People are looking for something different, for an alternative that only the centre-left can offer.”
Ms Bacik was speaking at St Stephen’s Green with MEP Aodhán Ó Riordáin and candidates Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central), Shane Folan (Dublin Bay North), and Darragh Moriarty (Dublin South Central). She said the party was running 32 candidates and was confident of making gains.
She said Mr Ó Ríordáin’s victory in the European campaign had given the party a real momentum and it had fought a dynamic and robust campaign.
Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe stacks up the Jenga blocks for the latest round or what Fine Gael’s opponents would brand as the party’s “project fear” campaign on the economy. Taoiseach Simon Harris has countered such charges by arguing it is “project truth”. In the campaign ad Donohoe boasts of full employment and says “we can build more homes and we can invest in public services” as he builds the tower but he warns “If the wrong policies were implemented they could undermine the progress that we have made. And if that happened enough...”. There is a dramatic pause and the Jenga blocks topple.
We had a chat with some of the younger and older Dáil hopefuls running in the election. Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkan (79) paraphrases Ronald Reagan’s zinger line from his 1984 re-election bid when the 73-year-old American politician – at that point the oldest ever US president – was running against a younger candidate. Durkan (79) laughs and says of his rivals in Kildare North: “I’m not going to comment on anybody’s inexperience if they don’t comment on my age.” Here’s ‘the Gipper’s’ original delivery of what was, in fairness, a great line during his debate with Walter Mondale. It is worth a watch.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald’s rapport with people while out canvassing is front and centre of this Sinn Féin campaign video posted online this morning. Our own Miriam Lord observed McDonald out on the campaign trail in a piece headlined: “Mary Lou’s ‘chatty’ campaign trail style a world away from Dáil barbs”. She wrote: “As soon as the Sinn Féin leader escaped the Morning Ireland after the [TV debate at] Montrose night before (the least they could have done was given her a bed between grillings), she took off on her penultimate day of hard yards and the softest of hard sells in search of a mandate to govern the country.”
Don’t forget your umbrella when you’re heading out to vote tomorrow. Met Éireann is forecasting outbreaks of rain including some possible “heavy falls” as the electorate heads to the polls. Will it impact turnout? Poor weather including high winds and heavy rain did not deter voters in the February 2020 general election when turnout was 62.9 per cent. Turnout was 65 per cent in 2016 – also after a miserable February election race. Regardless of how many go out to vote tomorrow – this campaign has seen snow, rain and flying posters during Storm Bert. Can we have a summer election next time please?
Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan can chill for this election campaign. While he is out and about canvassing now that he’s back from the COP29 climate talks – and remains Minister for the Environment until a new Government is formed – he is not contesting the election himself. He posted this serene image from the sunrise in Bray as he headed out canvassing with his party’s Wicklow candidate Steven Matthews this morning.
It seems the Labour Party’s Dublin South-West Ciarán Ahern has met at least one irate voter on the doors. Here’s his latest campaign video featuring Seán Flanagan of comedy trio Foil, Arms & Hog.
Fine Gael has had a bit of a nightmare of an election campaign but party leader Simon Harris has insisted it is “entirely possible” he can be returned as Taoiseach after the election.
As Vivienne Clarke reports, he told Newstalk: “I’m glad I am running in this election to lead the next government. I believe it’s entirely possible that that can happen.
He also again set out his preference for a three party Coalition.
“I think what’s most likely to happen after the next election is a coalition government. I think that government is likely to probably involve at least three parties.
“I would think a government that gets beyond three parties becomes harder to manage in terms of a coherent policy base.”
He added: “I strongly believe we need a stable government with a working majority.”
One misstep by Harris on the campaign was his exchange with care worker Charlotte Fallon in Kanturk, Co Cork where he cut the conversation short after she confronted him on supports for people with disabilities.
He contacted her afterwards and apologised.
“I was annoyed at myself because I’m better than that. Look, I messed up. I messed up on an issue that is extraordinarily important to me and my family.
“And, you know, the issue of disability, is there isn’t a more important issue based on my lived experience.
“I know I messed up, but you know what? I was reared that when you make a mistake, you put your hands up. I apologise.”
Asked if the apology would make him appear vulnerable, Mr Harris responded: “My political opponents can seize on whatever they like.
“I think the people of Ireland, I certainly hope, know me. I think they know me for the leadership I provided through the Covid pandemic. I think they’ve seen the role that I played. I hope they know how hard I work”.
Harris also defended the November 29th date of the election during his Newstalk interview. Since becoming Taosieach he had said his intention was for the Government to run its full term – which many took to mean into early 2025. Harris said: “My priority was to get that Budget through, to work with the other political parties, to be respectful to them in how we govern. Then we got to a point where we were getting into nearly this kind of pedantic debate about what is the full term. And my view was based on my view today is still this. Once the government passed that fifth budget, I think there was a safe and appropriate time before and to have a general election. People will vote tomorrow. That will then provide a period of time for the politicians to deal with the outcome of that election and try and form a government and have a new government in office ready to hit the ground running. Because what I can definitely tell you is this. But what we don’t need after the next general election, the people are sovereign, but what we don’t need here is months and months and months of navel gazing. The country needs a government that can get on with the job.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris has just done an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk radio and Vivienne Clarke has been following it.
He says he feels “really good” about tomorrow and “very hopeful” that people “will lend us their vote so that I can continue my job as Taoiseach and so that we can really put together a stable government for the next five years.”
Fine Gael’s support has been falling in opinion polls but Harris argued that the polls “always reset” after an election is called. “I think Irish people think about their vote very carefully. They think it through. They want to put politicians through their paces.”
With 18 Fine Gael TDs who won seats in 2020 not contesting the election he also said that he has “had to rejuvenate my party in real time, introduce a lot of new candidates to the people right across the country, people who are new into politics, but certainly not new to delivering in their area.”
He also said: “I think what’s happening now and you saw it in last night’s poll when a ballot paper was put in front of people in the Red C poll and my party came joint first with 21 [per cent] apiece. We’re going to go to 21, and same for Fianna Fáil. This is a very, very close election. And that’s why right through today and right through tomorrow, up to 10:00 tomorrow night, I’ll be asking for every possible vote for Fine Gael.”
Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan has also been posting on Instagram this morning with a clip arguing that “the Government’s version of affordable housing is making a mockery of the idea”. He has been filling in for party leader Holly Cairns for much of the national campaign events as she is expecting a baby imminently. He wouldn’t thank anyone for saying it but he probably has the safest seat of any of his party’s candidates. Here’s what he said when that suggestion was put to him that he was nailed on for a return to the Dáil at a Social Democrats press conference on Wednesday: “I wish that was the case, but certainly not. Five years ago a lot of the pundits and commentators said I wasn’t in with a chance of getting a seat. Now they all say I’m a sure thing and I don’t believe either of those. We’re fighting very hard to get re-elected in Dublin Bay North.” In a profile of the constituency Jack Horgan-Jones writes that O’Callaghan “should hold” the seat and sets out the lay of the land there with three other incumbents not contesting the election.
The moratorium is dead – long live the “additional care requirement” for broadcasters
Election 2024 will be the first in a long time without the outdated broadcast moratorium which previously put the kibosh on radio and TV political coverage from 2pm the day before voters cast their ballots
Earlier this month Coimisiún na Meán confirmed the moratorium, which has been in place since 1997, is being replaced with a measure called the Additional Care Requirement for broadcasters.
It will require broadcasters to “treat with extreme care information relating to the election that it believes, or has reason to believe, has been circulated with the intention of misleading or confusing voters or that is likely to mislead or confuse voters.”
See our report here.
The new requirement will be in force during the 24-hours before the opening of polling stations and during the period when voting is taking place.
It will be interesting to see how broadcast coverage plays out under the new rules today.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is due on Today FM’s The Last Word this afternoon – which would not have happened under the old rules.
If Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was encouraged by the poll showing his party in the lead – albeit very slightly – he was not showing it in social media posts last night. Instead he posted a clip from his pitch to voters to back Fianna Fáil during his interview with Virgin Media television last night. Speaking of his party’s time in Government he said: “In a period of inflation and conflict in much for the world we acted to protect Ireland’s interests and help families faced with rising costs. But this election is about our future. It is about how we can protect Ireland’s progress and implement new policies to tackle critical issues ...”
Martin’s party has been the most steady in the polls (The Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll this week also had it on 21 per cent, in advance of Sinn Féin on 21 per cent (up 1 point) and Fine Gael on 19 per cent (down 6 points). But it seems that heading into tomorrow’s election there is nothing between the big three parties in terms of their respective support levels. Of course much will depend on the complexities of the different dynamics in 43 election battlegrounds as to which one ends up with the most Dáil seats. Fianna Fáil is probably best placed to do so but that does not mean that Fine Gael is not hoping that their fortunes cannot be revived from a blunder-filled election campaign.
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald had more reason to be happy with the poll saying in an online post that it confirms “what we are feeling on the ground: The momentum for change is with Sinn Féin. It is growing everyday! We can do this together! We can change the Government.”
Her upbeat tone is a far cry from where Sinn Féin was in the weeks before the official election campaign when the party was mired in a strong of controversies.
Harris’ Instagram Live comes after a previous one last night last night where he said “it’s all to play for” in the election.
“There’s a poll out tonight that shows when you give people constituency ballots, Fine Gael is neck and neck for first place.”
This is of course a reference to the Business Post/Red C poll.
It had Fianna Fáil unchanged since the last survey on 21 per cent, Sinn Féin up two points to 20 per cent and Fine Gael down two, but also on 20 per cent.
Fine Gael has had a rocky election campaign and Harris told his viewers: “I’m really asking everybody to please, please, please get out and back my Fine Gael team right across the country”.
“I really need your support. I really need your vote.
“I’ve been working as hard as I possibly can over the last seven months as Taoiseach of this country and as leader of Fine Gael”.
He said that during that time he has “tried to reconnect on a number of issues that I’ve heard from you that matter.”
He again referenced disability issues as he has repeatedly done since he was confronted by care worker Charlotte Fallon on the election trail last week but also mentioned migration, Ireland recognising the State of Palestine and his efforts to improve relations with Britain.
Harris also said he has been “working really, really hard on putting together what I think is an exciting plan for our country.”
Time for the Insta generation to step up?
Taoiseach Simon Harris was back on Instagram live this morning asking for votes for Fine Gael in an “extraordinarily close” election.
The Fine Gael leader warned pundits it’s is “very dangerous” to try to predict the outcome and said to viewers: “It’s you and you alone who will decide this.
“This is a three-way contest and I respectfully argue it’s now time for our generation to step up, it’s time for a new generation of leadership.
“That is what I represent, an ability to get things done. An ability to bring common sense to politics but also an ability to represent a new generation... Please lend me your support tomorrow, lend Fine Gael your support and in return I will give you my absolute all”.
Earlier in the post he spoke of Fine Gael promises for €200 per month childcare, the creation of more special schools and abolition of college fees.
He said: “I don’t get everything right, no political party gets everything right but you know what I do step up every time I’ve been called upon.”
Harris said he “stepped up during the Covid pandemic to help save lives and livelihoods” served in Government during the “difficult days” of Brexit and promoted apprenticeships as Minister for Higher Education.
He said: “as Taoiseach when the vacancy arose I again was willing to step up because our country needed leadership and he said a Budget was delivered to help people with the costs of living.
Later in the video he responds to other people’s posts – here’s a sample:
“vodkashot78 making a point about housing ... let me say this – housing, housing housing is my number one priority. But that’s just rhetoric here’s how we’re going to fix it ...”
