Fine Gael

The latest news, analysis and comment on Irish political party Fine Gael

Poll shows the vast majority of Irish voters want change in how country is run

Fewer are happy with status quo and more want ‘moderate change’ in latest Irish Times/Ipsos poll

By Aisling CorcoranFri Sept 29 2023 - 07:00

Irish Times poll analysis: Sinn Féin will have to compromise if Mary Lou McDonald is to make history

Irish Times/Ipsos poll: Mary Lou McDonald is voters’ clear choice for Taoiseach, but her party fares worse

By Pat LeahyFri Sept 29 2023 - 06:00

Tensions rise over roads spending as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil press Eamon Ryan

Green leader criticised over memo that suggested shortfalls could mean some projects are deprioritised

By Jack Horgan-JonesFri Sept 29 2023 - 06:00

Mary Lou McDonald most popular choice for taoiseach, Irish Times/Ipsos poll finds

Four in ten voters want Sinn Féin in next Government, but party also faces most opposition

By Pat LeahyFri Sept 29 2023 - 06:00

Politicians call for exclusion zones and Defence Forces’ help to tackle threats

Recommendations made in a series of private submissions from parties to a new taskforce on safety

By Jennifer BrayFri Sept 29 2023 - 06:00

Varadkar’s reference to Benefits Street in disability payments reforms discussion ‘not appropriate’

British television programme demonised welfare recipients, says Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan

By Sarah BurnsThu Sept 28 2023 - 15:21

Irish Times poll: Greater support for Sinn Féin among under-34s shows challenge facing FF and FG

The ongoing housing crisis is one likely factor behind Sinn Féin’s support levels among younger voters

By Cormac McQuinnThu Sept 28 2023 - 12:02

Irish Times poll: Familiar picture emerges with Sinn Féin in the ascendancy

Coalition parties struggle to make headway ahead of Budget 2024

By Damian LoscherThu Sept 28 2023 - 07:00

Farmers deserve more than empty promises and stroke politics

Every political party has known for years the derogation is incompatible with our climate targets. Despite this, zero planning has been done to prepare for its reduction

By Holly CairnsThu Sept 28 2023 - 06:00

Sinn Féin extends lead to stay on course to be largest party in next Dáil, latest opinion poll shows

Sinn Fein has increased again, they lead Fianna Fáil by 14 points while Mary Lou McDonald remains the most popular leader

By Pat LeahyThu Sept 28 2023 - 06:00

Poll analysis: Parties big and small being squeezed by Sinn Féin juggernaut

Repeat of current coalition seems unlikely as combined support of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens now at 41%

By Pat LeahyThu Sept 28 2023 - 06:00

Charlie Flanagan: Politics is ‘volatile’, with people drifting to ‘serious and dangerous fringe’

People on both far right and far left sides have threatened me, says former minister who will stand down at next election

By Vivienne Clarke and Cormac McQuinnTue Sept 26 2023 - 12:10

Why are so many sitting Fine Gael TDs quitting politics and what does it mean for the party?

Inside Politics: Charlie Flanagan decides to ‘pass the baton’ to younger generation as he joins list of FG TDs who will not contest next general election

By Cormac McQuinnTue Sept 26 2023 - 07:58

Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan announces retirement

Former minister joins list of FG TDs who say they will not contest the next general election

By Mark HilliardMon Sept 25 2023 - 21:43

More than one million workers paying higher rate of income tax

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil politicians pushing for increases in tax bands and USC cuts in Budget 2024

By Jack Power and Jennifer BraySat Sept 23 2023 - 12:57

Sinn Féin labels housing a ‘social disaster’ while promising biggest ever public housing programme if elected

Pearse Doherty claims crisis did not happen by accident but stems from Govermment’s decision to outsource provision of housing to private sector

By Eoin Burke-KennedyFri Sept 22 2023 - 15:41

O’Brien ‘failing’ as Minister for Housing, Doherty says

Ivana Bacik says Housing for All targets should be closer to 50,000 homes per year

By Sarah BurnsThu Sept 21 2023 - 14:40

Government playing ‘part of spectators’ as mortgage rates rise, Sinn Féin says

Dáil resumes with Mary Lou McDonald saying Fine Gael’s claim to support home ownership ‘farcical’

By Sarah BurnsWed Sept 20 2023 - 15:13

Leo Varadkar accused of resorting to ‘childish politics’ in bid to endear Fine Gael to farmers

Fianna Fáil figures say Taoiseach’s gesture will not lead to change in EU’s nitrates policy

By Jack Horgan-Jones and Sarah BurnsMon Sept 18 2023 - 06:00

What is Fine Gael doing for under-35s?

Party claims without jobs it helped create, there would be ‘no opportunity’ in Ireland for people coming out of college

By Harry McGeeFri Sept 15 2023 - 18:40

Budget 2024: Leo Varadkar rules out ‘broad-based’ mortgage interest relief

Taoiseach says such mortgage interest relief would be ‘prohibitively expensive’ and denies he is out of touch on cost-of-living crisis

By Harry McGee and David RaleighFri Sept 15 2023 - 13:07

Micheál Martin may be Sinn Féin’s greatest accidental cheerleader

If there is a slam dunk election in the making, it is an inside job, and Martin is a chief architect

By Gerard HowlinFri Sept 15 2023 - 06:30

Paschal Donohoe: ‘Not spending every cent you have is the best insurance policy’

Minister for Public Expenditure on keeping a surplus, RTÉ funding and ‘case for centrism’ amid budget wrangling

By Pat LeahyWed Sept 13 2023 - 16:17

A week of political think-ins heralds start of autumn’s political term

Party fests have occasionally provided iconic political moments, and unwelcome publicity

By Pat LeahyMon Sept 11 2023 - 05:00

Next-gen politicians should study how Richard Bruton worked the levers of power

Every politician who warbles about change needs to understand how difficult it is to achieve

By Pat LeahySun Sept 10 2023 - 07:00

There’s a reason young voters are flocking to Sinn Féin not Fine Gael - it has nothing to do with age gap between leaders

Voters don’t tend to consider a politician’s age, otherwise how to explain the appeal of Bernie Sanders and Michael D Higgins to the young?

By Breda O'BrienSun Sept 10 2023 - 07:00

Richard Bruton: ‘Politics is much more about emotion than about evaluating evidence’

After more than 40 years in the Dáil, the Fine Gael TD reflects on his political career following his announcement earlier this week to retire

By Pat LeahyFri Sept 08 2023 - 15:30

Taoiseach says ‘no talk’ in Coalition about holding general election next year

Fine Gael leader says party has succession plans in place with several long-serving TDs set to step down

By Barry RocheFri Sept 08 2023 - 14:44

John Burns: Hard to foresee Seán Quinn ‘fading into the shadows’ after book release

Any Other Business: Forbes resigns directorship, Collison brothers back new California city plan, Lucy Gaffney and slavery reparations, and Fine Gael’s fundraising

By John BurnsFri Sept 08 2023 - 05:00

Budget 2024: ‘You might have a bit of a bonanza in terms of one-off spending’

Inside Business podcast with Ciarán Hancock

Wed Sept 06 2023 - 16:31

Listen | 43:12

Richard Bruton: four decades in politics but few enemies, despite heave against Enda Kenny’s leadership

Richard Bruton's decision to retire at the next general election will deprive Fine Gael of a sharp intellect and rarely-matched wealth of political experience

By Pat LeahyTue Sept 05 2023 - 17:49

Veteran TD Richard Bruton confirms he will not seek re-election after 41 years in Dáil

Fine Gael representative was first elected to the Dáil in 1982

By Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGeeTue Sept 05 2023 - 13:36

Has Marc MacSharry burned his bridges to Fianna Fáil or will he be the prodigal son?

If the 50-year-old TD remains as an Independent, it might mean a split vote that would allow Sinn Féin take a second seat in Sligo-Leitrim

By Harry McGeeSat Sept 02 2023 - 07:00

Pat Leahy: What is this Government actually for, beyond not being Sinn Féin?

Far from looking determined, the Coalition seems cowed by the challenge from Sinn Féin

By Pat LeahySat Sept 02 2023 - 06:45

Smaller parties to be squeezed by constituency changes as Dáil grows by 14 TDs

Electoral Commission: Bigger parties, especially Sinn Féin, are likely to be happier with plans published

By Pat Leahy, Cormac McQuinn and Harry McGeeThu Aug 31 2023 - 05:00

Additional seats in constituency review mollify larger parties over boundary changes

It’s a lot more difficult for smaller parties to win in three-seat constituencies

By Pat LeahyThu Aug 31 2023 - 05:00

Constituency review: Who are the winners and losers?

Sinn Féin on course to take at least one seat in almost all constituencies and will be in the running for multiple seats in many constituencies

By Cormac McQuinnWed Aug 30 2023 - 20:27

Five things to watch out for as constituency review fires starting gun on next election

Where the lines end up on the map and how many TDs are allocated to individual constituencies is the subject of fevered anticipation among TDs and would-be-deputies

By Cormac McQuinnTue Aug 29 2023 - 18:49

Nora Owen: I would say to Brian ‘you’re forgetting a lot’ and he would say ‘so are you’

Dementia is called the long goodbye and its impact on the person and their family is profound

By Sheila WaymanTue Aug 29 2023 - 05:31

Pat Leahy: Five things that will shape Irish politics this autumn and winter

Here are the factors likely to shape Irish politics between now and the next election

By Pat LeahySat Aug 26 2023 - 06:30

Extra Dáil seats expected for Dublin city and suburbs – but where?

At a stroke of a pen, the transfer of electoral divisions could rob sitting TDs of crucial votes

By Pat LeahySat Aug 26 2023 - 05:00

Sinn Féin viewed as the likely winner from expected rise in Dáil numbers in reshaping of electoral map

Electoral Commission to deliver its highly anticipated review next week as electoral boundaries are redrawn and number of TDs is increased in line with growing population

By Cormac McQuinnSat Aug 26 2023 - 05:00

Buckle up. The general election campaign is about to begin

As Fine Gael TDs bow out and Sinn Féin flirts with government, lines are being redrawn in more ways than one

By Jennifer BraySun Aug 20 2023 - 06:00

Stephen Collins: In Biden’s US, it’s no longer ‘the economy, stupid’

US voters have almost ‘never had it so good’ as under Bidenomics, but they believe things have never been worse

By Stephen CollinsFri Aug 18 2023 - 05:22

The Ahern Years: Crash

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

Fri Aug 18 2023 - 05:00

Listen | 53:41

Farmers ‘not happy’ with mainstream parties, representative says

Survey by Irish Farmers Journal suggests three out of four farmers would support new farmers’ political party if one were to emerge

By Vivienne ClarkeThu Aug 10 2023 - 08:18

The Ahern years: Bertie’s path to power

Inside Politics podcast with Hugh Linehan

Wed Aug 09 2023 - 11:42

Listen | 59:53

Fintan O’Toole: Farmers’ denial of climate reality has been shaped by the parties they support

Farmers are in strange denial about the climate emergency partly because political parties, especially Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, have shaped their attitudes

By Fintan O'TooleTue Aug 08 2023 - 06:00

Sinn Féin advances in latest opinion poll — up three points to 34%

August survey of voters: Fine Gael remains on 19%, Fianna Fáil down one to register 18 per cent with Green Party on 5%, up two

Sat Aug 05 2023 - 19:19

Taoiseach rules out early general election amid speculation

Leo Varadkar says next national elections will be the local and European elections next summer

By Jack Horgan-JonesMon Jul 31 2023 - 00:01

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