Fine Gael ties fortunes to Labour as they prepare for election

Fine Gael has tied its political fortunes firmly to its Labour Coalition partners as the battle lines for the next election were clearly drawn over the weekend.

In a series of speeches and interviews Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his senior Ministers said the Coalition would offer the Irish people continuing political stability and economic growth.

They claimed that voting for Opposition parties would result in political instability that would inevitably undermine the recovery.

In a video interview with The Irish Times to mark the introduction of digital subscriptions, Mr Kenny said Fine Gael and Labour had shown the courage to make unpopular decisions which were now beginning to pay dividends in growth and jobs.

“For me it is all about people having jobs and that is why I make no apology for having focused relentlessly on employment and job creation,” he said.

In his speech to the Fine Gael national convention in Castlebar, he paid tribute to Labour Party leader Joan Burton saying both parties would continue to work day and night to secure the recovery.

Next year the people would be the judge of whether they had fulfilled their mandate. “They will have a clear choice: between stable and coherent government or chaos and instability.

"A clear choice between moving forward or risking the country's progress to those who wrecked it in the past, or to those whose policies would wreck our future," said Mr Kenny. He did not want to see Ireland being dragged back to the failures of the past or ruined by those intent on blowing a huge hole in our recovering national finances.

“Populist promises to reverse every tough decision are nothing but empty rhetoric, irresponsible leadership and bad politics. They are not the solution to Ireland’s problems,” he said.

Other Ministers took up the same theme. Michael Noonan warned political instability had the capacity to wreck the Irish economy. He told delegates all the economic indicators were now looking very positive. "The biggest risk is political instability at home. It could wreck all the hard work done over the past few years," he said.

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar pointedly praised the Labour contribution to government, saying the party had helped to give greater prominence to issues of equality and had stuck with the tough decisions the Government had to make.

“I am proud to serve with Labour in Government. Ireland is a better place because they are in coalition with Fine Gael. The job’s not finished yet and I for one want them there with us again in the next Government – if the people will it to be so,” said Mr Varadkar.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said it was time Mr Kenny came out from behind the protection of set-piece events and faced him in proper debate.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams described the Taoiseach's speech as a back-slapping exercise which failed to address the polarisation in society.