Micheál Martin’s almost immediate agreement to facilitate Leo Varadkar’s election as Taoiseach proves there is “no real difference” between the two largest parties in the state, according to the Workers’ Party.

Workers’ Party Cllr. Éilis Ryan, this evening (Wednesday) said:

“Even by Fine Gael standards, Leo Varadker ran an astoundingly right-wing campaign to be leader of his party, and Taoiseach. He reached new lows by demonising the most vulnerable in our society – the sick, those on disability, the unemployed.

“For Fianna Fáil to turn around merely days later and recommit to ‘business as usual’ in the confidence and supply agreement, proves beyond any doubt that Fianna Fáil / Fine Gael are effectively one party, representing the same, elite interests.”

Cllr. Ryan said the endorsement of Varadkar flies in the face of the ‘social justice’ image Fianna Fáil have been cultivating, saying:
“There’s been a lot of rhetoric from so-called “new” Fianna Fáil about being Ireland’s social justice party – whether that’s by claiming victory in defeating the water charges, or pushing for mental health funding.

“But in reality, when it comes down to the crunch, Fianna Fáil will have chosen to prop up one of the most Thatcherite, right-wing Taoisigh the country has ever seen.”

Cllr. Ryan concluded:
“Fianna Fáil make much of being ‘the people’s party’ but they have never been anything like it. Ireland needs radical public investment in housing, healthcare and jobs. It needs us to tackle the church’s power once and for all.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are united in their unwillingness to prevent that from happening – that, and only that, is what the “confidence and supply agreement” is really about.”