'Demented and desperate': Brid Smith hits out at Varadkar's Sinn Féin comments
Bríd Smith has described Leo Varadkar's comments on Sinn Féin's public meetings as "demented and "desperate".
Mr Varadkar previously said the events held by Sinn Féin across the country are part of the party's “campaign of intimidation and bullying”.
Ms Smith, TD for Dublin South-Central, said the comments come across as "jealousy", and added she attempted to attend Sinn Fein's Liberty Hall rally on Tuesday night, but was turned away with around 100 others due to overcrowding.
"It's demented to say that this is intimidating or threatening. People are comparing it to Nuremberg or whatever else, it's nonsense and reeks of desperation," she said.
"Would they have done any different if they succeeded in the election? By God, they would've.
They'd be travelling the country talking to their supporters, making more promises they'd failed to deliver on, it's almost like jealousy.
"I went to the Sinn Féin rally last night, but was turned away due to overcrowding. I think it's a really good idea actually. People are left out of political discourse after the election, it's leaders talking to leaders and ordinary people are left out.
"People want to know what we can expect, we should bring them together."
People Before Profit has organised its own public meeting for Wednesday night in Dublin's Grand Social, but says it had the event planned before Sinn Fein's meetings hit the headlines.
"We had organised about three weeks ago to thank our volunteers and supporters, we intended to bring them all together for a political meeting," Ms Smith added.
Its normal after an election to want to rally the troops who supported you and voted for you, if you do well.
"If Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael had a successful election they would've done the same."
Despite ongoing negotiations, the prospect of a left minority-government appears to be dwindling, as numbers continue to fall short. However, Ms Smith says that progressives should keep the faith.
"I think we have to keep organising for a left minority government, other countries do it, and it works," she said.
"We have to keep arguing for it, any government formed with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil is letting people down, people who voted left were clear they don't want the main parties in power.
I think that the left should make any endeavour it can to make a minority government, to deliver on promises, like the pension age, or taking land from the land development agency and NAMA and building public housing - what we talked about during the election.
