The leader of the Sinn Fein party Gerry Adams has called on both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to end their sham rivalry and form a grand coalition sooner rather than later.
Mr Adams says he fully believes the two leading parties are still “engaging in a sham fight over forming a new government”, despite already knowing they will form coalition eventually. Mr Adams comments come as Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are continuing to hold talks with a number of smaller parties and independents about the possibility of forming a minority government. Although many believe the two parties will end up in power in the long run.
Mr Adams told reporters: “The two largest conservative parties are using the bogus excuse of civil war divisions and politics as each tries to outflank the other to get the spoils of government positions and power.” The Sinn Fein leader also pointed out that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have already being working together on local councils in recent years with the two parties currently controlling 11 of the 31 local authorities.
Mr Adams said the two parties along with Labour had deliberately stopped his party from submitting a motion to debate scrapping water charges when the Dáil sat last Thursday. The Sinn Fein cites this as proof that “the establishment will join together when their self-interest demands”.