Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has today accused the Government of lacking the urgency or ambition to tackle the problems facing the country.
Martin, the most popular party leader in the country
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He claimed the Government is "drifting" and said Ministers were failing to engage with the issues.
FF leader at Bodenstown: Govt is drifting, failing to tackle problems with urgency and ambition pic.twitter.com/XCWZcinzBH
— Sandra Hurley (@sandra_hurley) October 23, 2016
Mr Martin also warned that Brexit poses a "deep and rising threat" to Ireland.
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD has this afternoon responded to remarks, saying: "I want to welcome some of Micheál Martin's remarks on the implications and challenges of Brexit today, however it's one thing to lambast the British Government - even though that's justifiable - the main focus has to be on what the Irish Government is doing, or what it's not doing.
"The Taoiseach has yet to clarify claims made by the British Secretary of State that measures have been agreed to put immigration controls at Irish ports and airports. That is totally unacceptable
"The Government's focus and the focus of all political parties has got to be an all-Ireland one and our vision shouldn't be limited to the interests of the southern State.
“The northern vote must be recognised, promoted and defended, and that the aim has to be to keep the entirety of the island of Ireland in the EU."