John McGuinness launches scathing attack on party leader over decision to back FG government

OUTSPOKEN Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness has launched a scathing attack on party leader Micheál Martin over his decision to support the Fine Gael minority government for another year.

Deputy McGuinness described the decision to renew the confidence and supply arrangement without any new concessions as “the wrong thing for the party and the wrong thing for the country”.

The Kilkenny TD, a regular outspoken critic of Mr Martin’s leadership, said the current Government is failing to serve the needs of the people who need it most in this country.

Deputy McGuinness said his concerns are known within the party.

He told RTÉ’s Sean O’Rourke today: “This deal puts us in a strait-jacket until 2020.”

However, when it was put to him that he should consider resigning from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party because of his views, Deputy McGuinness said he would not be going down that road.

Speaking yesterday, Deputy McGuinness noted that a Fianna Fáil review of the confidence and supply agreement has highlighted serious issues around health and housing.

He said: “People are quite well aware that there is disquiet within the parliamentary party and there is certainly disquiet within the broader membership of the party because they see us as being in opposition but yet being in government at the same time.

“It is true to say we get blamed for a lot of what is happening in government.”