Policy differences ’emerging’ between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael

Simon Harris has said policy differences are “emerging” between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael after his party was accused of launching “damaging” attacks.

Micheal Martin said he was surprised by “the tone and nature” of the attacks made by Fine Gael on his party’s proposals in recent days.

The Fianna Fail leader said he does not understand the strategy by his former coalition partners and Civil War-era foes Fine Gael and said “it could be damaging”.

“People who want to vote centre-ground parties in will be saying ‘what are they at’?” he told the Irish Independent’s podcast on Thursday.

“As a strategist myself, I do not believe this makes sense.”

Mr Martin added: “Fine Gael seem to be strategically deciding to target Fianna Fail more than targeting Sinn Fein. That’s the bit I don’t get and a lot of voters won’t get that either.”

Responding to those comments, Fine Gael leader Mr Harris accused Mr Martin of “giving out about being attacked whilst then attacking”.

“This election is about, I think, big, exciting ideas for the future of our country and I think the fact that we are debating them is good.

“A few days ago, perhaps media would have been asserting ‘is there any difference in policy’. Now, actually, there are policy differences emerging.

“I have my own style of politics – and I think even my political opponents would acknowledge this – is always to engage in a policy debate rather than any sort of personality contest.”

The two main coalition parties have been publicly criticising each other’s policies since the Dail was dissolved on Friday.

Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe released a statement on Tuesday criticising Fianna Fail’s manifesto as leaving “a lot to be desired”.

On Virgin Media’s Tonight Show, Fianna Fail minister Jack Chambers and Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton both called each other “disingenuous” in a debate on policy proposals.

The parties have moved to differentiate themselves from one another in the first few days of the election campaign.

Fianna Fail’s proposal to decriminalise cannabis has come under fire from Fine Gael, with Mr Harris saying there are “real health dangers in relation to cannabis”.

Fine Gael’s proposal to introduce an 11% VAT rate for food-related businesses has been criticised by Fianna Fail as “regressive”, arguing that it would mean the tax on energy would have to increase.

Mr Harris said: “We’re having a debate around ideas and policies.

“I hope we’re having a respectful debate.

“When we launched a plan for small businesses, I don’t think we were out of the room before there were people in Fianna Fail doing off-the-record briefings in relation to that.

“I want to debate the policies here. I want to debate the policies respectfully.

“I’ve worked well with Fianna Fail, I have respect for the leader of the Fianna Fail, I’m proud of what we’ve all achieved together over the last four-and-a-half years.

“But I also want to really debate ideas.”

Sinn Fein has accused Fianna Fail and Fine Gael of putting on “a sham row” for the cameras when there is not “the width of a credit card” between the two parties, forged out of opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald also accused Mr Harris of being “pretty intent on stealing Sinn Fein’s ideas”, and that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had “sought to steal our clothes and then botched the implementation” of its policies.

She was referencing Mr Harris’s announcement of a full review of the means testing for carers’ welfare payments.

Ms McDonald said: “For somebody who talks a lot about new energy and new ideas, Simon Harris actually has no new ideas, and in the absence of ideas of his own, he seems to be pretty intent on stealing Sinn Fein’s ideas.”

To this, Mr Harris later said “Deputy McDonald can keep her policies”.

He added: “It wasn’t her idea, but it was the idea from carers and my party is in the business of listening and acting.”