Taoiseach urges public to consider government formation when voting

By Cate McCurry and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

The Taoiseach has said he wants the public to consider who will form a “stable government” when they are voting, asking whether the country would want to have “50 or 60” independent TDs in the Dáil.

Simon Harris said it is not his place to tell people who to transfer their vote to but urged them to consider the make-up of the government after the election.

The public will go to the polls on Friday, and decide the political landscape for the next few years.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday, Mr Harris said: “The point I am making is… of course I am asking people to vote for my party, to vote Fine Gael, and in the areas where we are running more than one candidate to continue your vote for the rest of the Fine Gael candidates.

“But I am also very conscious that, when the election is over, whatever people decide is the decision, it is important that a stable government can be formed, and I have been making the point to people that my party has shown the ability to work well with other parties and I’m hoping that people would transfer their votes to other parties.

“There has been many good independent TDs in this country – I don’t make a pejorative comment at all in relation to any independent TD – but I do make the point, do we want to make up the Dail with 40 or 50, 60 independent TDs and how do we form a stable government if that is the backdrop?

“That is very much the point I am making. I am not going to tell people – it is not my place – as to who to transfer to, but I would hope people would consider, in their vote, who you would form a government at the end of all of this.”

The latest opinion poll ahead of Friday’s General Election shows the country’s three largest parties remain in a tight race.

The Red C-Business Post survey shows support for Fianna Fáil unchanged at 21 per cent, only slightly ahead of its coalition partner, Fine Gael, which is down two percentage points at 20 per cent and now neck and neck with the largest opposition party, Sinn Féin, which has gained two.

Earlier, Mr Harris said there are too many young adults living at home with their parents.

“I meet them right across the country and know they want to move out and buy their own home. And that is why we are prioritising 303,000 more homes, 40 billion euro investment in housing.

“But it is also the reason why we are refusing to pull the rug from under first-time buyers.

“The Help to Buy scheme may not be perfect, the First Home scheme may not be perfect, but it has helped so many thousands of people, and we are committed to keeping that for the next five years.”

Earlier, Mr Harris was asked on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show about an apparent drop in his party’s support in the opinion polls.

He said it is down to “a couple of things”, including that he has “had to rejuvenate my party in real time”.

He added: “I feel really good about tomorrow, I feel really hopeful about tomorrow, that people will lend us their votes so that I can continue my job as Taoiseach and so that we can really put together a stable government for the next five years.”