Smith: Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael 'are trying to obstruct a minority left government'

Smith made the comments after today's meeting between Sinn Féin and other left-wing TDs.

She said: "They [Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil] have said all along they don't want to come together, and Fine Gael have been very, up to now, very explicit, that they want to stay in opposition, as have Labour."

"So if that's what they want to do and they won't talk to Sinn Féin, who have the biggest number of popular votes, and they wont talk to each other in terms of doing a deal.

"Then why are they trying to obstruct a minority left government which would give reflection of the changes that people have voted for."

Left-wing TDs insist minority Government left coalition still possible

The group of harder-left TDs comprising People Before Profit, RISE, and three members of the Independents4Change technical group, insist that a minority Government left coalition is still possible.

Speaking after a meeting this morning with Sinn Féin in which “quite a lot was achieved”, PBP’s Richard Boyd Barrett said that his grouping had expressed the view that such a Government “could introduce radical measures quickly… and they are keen as we are to continue to pursue those discussions”.

“There is a lot of common ground, but there’s also a lot more detail to discuss,” Mr Boyd Barrett said, adding that the group of seven is now negotiating as a bloc, but without Solidarity’s Mick Barry.

“But we are quite positive that Sinn Féin and ourselves are serious about this.”

He added that in his opinion it is “important to mobilise against the possibility of a return to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael”. “So we’re very supportive of the planned rally that’s taking place next Saturday week.”

He said that there are no policies that the two cannot agree upon, but that “there’s a lot more detail to be discussed”. Both entities are in agreement that 100,000 public and affordable houses need to be built, with Brid Smith suggesting however that the enterprise be funded by “far reaching taxes on the vulture funds, the property speculators, and the land hoarders”.

“It’s not clear to us what Sinn Fein’s plans are in that regard, so we need to explore that a bit further,” Mr Boyd Barrett said.

RISE’s Paul Murphy meanwhile acknowledged that his bloc’s plans are “significantly more far reaching than Sinn Fein’s”.

“We recognise that and we recognise that we don't have a majority for a socialist government. So we're therefore working towards joining people on the streets and saying we can have a Government here which excludes Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and which implements very important reforms that makes a difference to people's lives,” he said.

Mr Murphy was adamant that a second election could be avoided, but acknowledged that a deal between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is eminently possible.

“I think most people look with extreme scepticism at the play acting of Fine Gael at the moment, saying oh no, we don’t want to be in Government, we’re just talking about policy,” he said.

“We’re not interested in passive speculation (as to how Government formation will pan out) about what might happen; we want to press forward for a left minority Government, and really present what such a Government could do to the people, and to put it up to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to try and stop us,” Mr Boyd Barrett said.

He further reiterated a point he had made earlier in the post-election period, that “anybody who considers themselves even vaguely left wing has yearned for the realignment of Irish politics”.

“To me it’s a bit bizarre when for the first time in Irish political history a left Government is possible that people who would describe themselves as left have taken themselves of the pitch. I think they should really reconsider that,” he said.

The grouping will next meet with Sinn Fein on Wednesday of next week, with further meetings with the Social Democrats and Green Party also planned over the next seven days.