Simon Harris congratulates Donald Trump in first phone call since ‘clear’ victory

That concludes our rolling coverage of day four of the general election campaign.
Thanks for reading throughout the day and stay with us over the coming weeks both online at irishtimes.com and in print for the latest news and in-depth analysis.
Earlier, we asked Irish Times readers for their reaction to Michael O’Leary’s comments on the number of teachers in the Dáil. The response we have received suggest he has once again succeeded in deeply dividing opinion.
[ ‘Would you employ a teacher to run the Central Bank?’: Readers deeply divided on Michael O’Leary’s remarksOpens in new window ]
Elsewhere on the campaign trail today, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil have traded accusations on housing policy in a terse exchange of letters ahead of a televised debate on the area on Monday night.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien wrote to Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin on Tuesday taking aim at the party’s key affordable housing policy – which it says could unlock thousands of affordable units by retaining the ownership of land under the home for the state.
In his letter – which Mr Ó Broin said was “inane” in a response circulated to reporters on Monday night – Mr O’Brien accused Sinn Féin of putting out “factually incorrect” statements on whether banks would lend to borrowers for mortgages under the scheme.
Mr O’Brien, the Fingal TD who is running in the new Fingal East in the general election campaign, targeted statements by Mr Ó Broin and his party leader Mary Lou McDonald, who offered assurances that the banks would lend under the scheme.
Read Jack Horgan-Jones’ piece in full here.
[ ‘Inane’ and ‘factually incorrect’: Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil trade accusations on housing policyOpens in new window ]
Fianna Fáil has clarified that it does not intend to decriminalise all drugs after its manifesto published today said it would “decriminalise drug possession for personal use”.
A spokeswoman for the party said that the party would “look at decriminalising drugs such as cannabis … and not drugs such as cocaine and heroin”.
There was no such qualification in the manifesto itself.
In answer to questions from The Irish Times, the party said: “Fianna Fáil believes that drug addiction should be dealt with in a humane and compassionate manner, as a public health issue. We are committed to implementing the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use recommendation of a comprehensive health-led response to possession of drugs for personal use, which will require legislative changes. We will look at decriminalising drugs such as cannabis, as is done in other countries such as Malta, Spain and Portugal, and not drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
“Those found in possession for personal use will, in the first instance be directed to addiction services, mirroring what happens on Austria and Portugal. In introducing these measures we will engage with other countries that have introduced similar measures and health professionals that have expertise in this area. We will look at the amount of drugs that should be decriminalised for personal use and the number of times that a person can be diverted to health interventions, among other issues. Fianna Fáil believes that it is time for a change in how drug use is treated in Ireland.” – Pat Leahy
Taoiseach Simon Harris has spoken to US president-elect Donald Trump.
Informed sources maintained that the two men discussed the conflict in the Middle East as well as in Ukraine.
The Taoiseach congratulated Mr Trump on his victory in the US presidential election last week.
It is understood they also discussed links between the United States and Ireland.
Mr Trump, who owns a golf hotel in Co Clare, will be inaugurated as US president on January 20th next year.
Mr Harris later told reporters he had congratulated Mr Trump on his “clear election win”.
He said he had wished Mr Trump well as he began the process of assembling his new team and the transition to a new administration.
“We also agreed to keep in touch”, Mr Harris said.
The Taoiseach said the US president-elect conveyed his best wishes to the people of Ireland.
“We did discuss that Ireland is a good economic location and that Ireland’s economy is doing well. He spoke fondly of his experience in doing business in Ireland.”
The Taoiseach said he told Mr Trump that the EU and the US needed to work together on so many issues – economic, humanitarian and bringing peace to the world.
The Taoiseach said he had proposed in Brussels previously that there should be an EU/US trade summit.
Mr Harris said his conversation with Mr Trump had lasted about 20 minutes.
He said Mr Trump had spoken about visiting Ireland on several occasions previously and that he hoped to do so again. – Martin Wall
Elsewhere, RTÉ have announced that it will host two televised leaders’ debates during the election campaign.
The first will take place with 10 party leaders live on Upfront with Katie Hannon this day week, on Monday, November 18th.
The second will be hosted on Prime Time with Miriam O’Callaghan and Sarah McInerney on Tuesday, November 26th, three days out from polling day on November 29th. The leaders of the three largest parties have been invited to participate in this second debate.
Hazel Chu has said on Drivetime that making Dublin better overall “is about crime prevention”.
RTÉ Radio 1′s Drivetime programme is hosting a live debate between Dublin Bay South constituency candidates James Geoghan (FG and Dublin Lord Mayor), Jim O’Callaghan (FF), Ivana Bacik (Labour), Chris Andrews (SF), Hazul Chu (Greens) and Kate O’Connell (Independent).
The topics of crime and garda numbers as well as Fianna Fáil’s election manifesto promises about decriminalising of drugs for personal use are being covered along with the ongoing housing crisis.
Speaking of the Taoiseach, he’s been rubbing shoulders with TikTok star Helen Drumm in Monaghan.
Fine Gael has pledged to spend €10 billion of Apple tax money on housing as Taoiseach Simon Harris said first-time buyer schemes were red line issues for the party.
The party is committing to deliver 303,000 homes over the next six years at a cost of €40 billion, averaging at around 50,000 homes a year.
The Fine Gael leader said the party would look to use “at least €10 billion” of the €14 billion of back taxes from Apple “to help build the homes we need”.
“You can’t just say housing is the number one priority and not significantly try to turbo charge further the budget for it,” he said as he launched his party’s housing policy in Dublin.
The Fine Gael housing policy also commits to extending two grants for first-time buyers: the Help-to-Buy grant will be increased from a maximum of €30,000 to 40,000 until 2030; and the First Home Scheme will be extended to second-hand homes for five more years.
“We will not go into government in any scenario where the rug is pulled from under first-time buyers – not doing it, not interested, won’t be happening,” Mr Harris said, adding that retaining these supports would be “a red line for Fine Gael”.
Asked why people should believe what Fine Gael promises to do on housing, Mr Harris said: “Because we’re telling the truth, because people of Ireland know and they’re not fooled by anybody who tries to rewrite history or start history as a renewed point in time.” – PA
Meanwhile, the focus remains largely on Michael O’Leary’s comments concerning teachers, with Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik calling on Fine Gael to “unequivocally distance themselves” from the Ryanair chief executive.
She called on the party to reject O’Leary’s endorsement, “following a wave of outrage from teachers, parents, and communities across Ireland.”
On Monday, O’Leary doubled down on his comments while speaking on Newstalk, with Bacik saying he has “crossed a line”.
“To undermine the dedication of teachers in our society is unacceptable. Worse again, he has now doubled down on those comments. Many parents and teachers across Ireland are rightly horrified by this rhetoric. Education is the foundation of a better society, and teachers are essential to that vision,” she said.
She described laughter from those present reacting to O’Leary’s remarks at the launch of outgoing Fine Gael Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, as “particularly jarring”.
“Fine Gael must do more than distance themselves – they need to make it clear that they reject his endorsement, particularly as he has now gone further and restated his attack, and crossed the threshold of decency in politics,” she said.
“Now, more than ever, we need leadership that recognises and respects the work of our public servants. Particularly when we have such a recruitment and retention issue in the teaching sector.
“We call on Fine Gael to make a clear, public rejection of Mr O’Leary’s endorsement and to prioritise the values of decency and respect in our public discussions.
“Fine Gael must make it clear whose side they are on. Labour are firmly and unequivocally on the side of teachers.”
Good afternoon, Jack White here taking over from Jennifer Bray for the coming hours.
Outgoing Fine Gael Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has launched a jarring criticism of Fianna Fáil’s manifesto, labelling it as “full of uncosted promises with little substance”.
“I would have thought at this point that Fianna Fáil would have learned from the mistakes of the past, which plunged our economy and country into turmoil,” she said of her party’s outgoing Coalition partner.
Hours after Fianna Fáil launched its general election manifesto in Dublin on Monday, Ms McEntee said it is “remarkable that that after spending the last five years in Government, Fianna Fáil has today produced a manifesto that contains so little substance.”
“The Fianna Fáil document is riddled with promises that are so incredibly vague – which is disappointing for a party that claims it wants to lead the next Government,” she said.
Ms McEntee described a “lack of detail” within Fianna Fáil’s manifesto which is “is nearly as extraordinary as the fact that the document is full of bizarre costings”.
“For example, Fianna Fáil claims it will generate savings of €3 billion from ‘tax compliances and efficiencies.’ That’s ten times the actual figure in the latest Budget.
“How exactly did the party arrive at that costing?
“This is the type of back-of-the-matchbox-style politics that really could set Ireland backwards and scupper the economic progress that we have made in recent years,” she said.
Throughout the manifesto, in areas including tax, education and transport, there are a “litany of promises and proposals that raise serious questions about Fianna Fáil’s credibility,” she said.
She pointed to a lack of “any concrete figure” for the party’s business package, while small businesses across the State are “struggling and need certainty”.
“Fianna Fáil fails to provide a costing for their income tax proposal, their plan on inheritance tax, and have gaping holes too in relation to public transport, drugs policy and supports for special needs,” she added.
“It is now incumbent on Fianna Fáil to set out in precise detail how it intends to spend billions of euro of taxpayers’ money, which its manifesto today clearly fails to do.”
Sinn Féin is promising a mini-budget cutting the Universal Social Charge (USC) within its first 100 days if elected to government.
Unveiling its slate of candidates in Dublin on Monday, the party’s leader, Mary Lou McDonald, said the tax cut, which would remove the USC on the first €45,000 of income for all earners, would cost €1.8 billion.
The party also indicated it would have a mini budget on childcare, health and housing in its first 100 days in office.
The full report from Jack Horgan Jones is here.
Gerard Hutch has arrived back in Ireland to register as a candidate for the upcoming general election.
The Dublin criminal arrived in Dublin Airport from Spain this morning where he told waiting reporters that he is innocent of the money laundering charges he faces in the Spanish courts.
Read the full story from Conor Gallagher here.
Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said the cheering of Michael O’Leary’s remarks about teachers at the Fine Gael event on Saturday night illustrates the difference in the ethos of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, our political editor Pat Leahy reports. “That would never happen at a FF meeting,” said Martin.
Gerard ‘the Monk’ Hutch has arrived in Dublin Airport this morning and has confirmed to media there he will be running in the general election in Dublin Central. He said he would be lodging his papers today if possible.
Hutch said he didn’t know whose seat would be most at risk with him running and that “any seat” would do him, adding “I’m not pushy.”
When asked why he would be running, he said it was not the appropriate place to discuss.
Sinn Féin is promising a mini-budget cutting the Universal Social Charge within its first 100 days if it goes into government.
Launching its slate of candidates in Dublin on Monday, the party’s leader Mary Lou McDonald said that the tax cut would cost €1.8 billion.
She said that funding of the step would be outlined in greater detail in its manifesto, but that the party was planning tax hikes on individual incomes over €140,000 as part of its general election platform.
Finance spokesman and deputy leader Pearse Doherty said: “We know the pressure that workers are under during a cost of living crisis, and that’s what, within the first 100 days of a Sinn Féin-led government, that we are going to act – we will introduce a mini-budget, which at the centre of it will be these cuts to the USC.” – Jack Horgan-Jones, Political Correspondent
Independent TDs will have a good chance of influencing the formation of the next Government, Sligo Leitrim TD Marian Harkin has said.
Speaking at the launch of her election campaign in Sligo, she said, “The figures seem to indicate that after the election no combination of any two of the three largest parties will have the numbers to form a Government. While this will only be confirmed when the votes are counted, it is increasingly likely that the support of Independent TDs will be critical in making up the numbers.”
Tánaiste Micheál Martin launches his party’s general election manifesto in a church setting in Dublin which Pat Leahy jokes is in line with his “slightly episcopal bearing.”
Minister for Finance Jack Chambers has opened the Fianna Fáil manifesto launch with some thinly disguised digs at Fine Gael. Pat Leahy reports that Chambers said his party won’t raise VAT on energy and won’t host events where there are attacks on public servants.
At the launch, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said his party would: fund a reduced 9% VAT on energy bills guaranteed for at a minimum the next five years; increase the state pension to at least €350 per week; extend free GP cards to all under-12s; build 60,000 new homes per year by 2030; set up a new transport police unit; reduce class sizes; and expand access to primary care with an extra 1,500 GPs.
We have also been talking this morning with Green Party general election candidate for Laois, Rosie Palmer, who has decided to run a poster-free election campaign
She sends this: “In the run up to the Local Elections, I was contacted by many Laois people asking me not to use posters. As a first-time candidate, I knew I needed to get the balance between visibility and the impact on the environment right. I wrote to the Council to ask them to create designated poster area in a central location in each town, like we see across Europe, unfortunately, it wasn’t something they were able to action at the time. I went on to run a low poster campaign then, but this time round I have made the conscious decision not to contribute to the visual clutter, pollution and wasting of resources, and will not be erecting posters.”
Pat Leahy is attending the launch of the Fianna Fáil general election manifesto in Dublin this morning, and he sends along these picture updates as the event kicks off.
We’ve been speaking this morning with Fine Gael Councillor Joe Neville, who is one of the party’s election candidates in Kildare North. He tells us that his wife is a teacher and is “easily the most able person in the house”, adding: “I would disagree wholeheartedly with Michael O’Leary’s comments.” Neville is himself a trained accountant. So the fallout continues.
The Sinn Féin general election candidate launch is just about to kick off, and Jack Horgan Jones brings us this family photo.
There is a push to “marginalise” the Green Party out of the next Government by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman has said.
Sarah Burns reports from the campaign trail on South Circular Road with Patrick Costello this morning. Speaking to reporters, Mr O’Gorman said his party has been “strong in this Government”.
“My sense is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael maybe don’t want a Coalition partner that is as robust, that is as determined and that is as focused on getting through its key manifesto goals,” he said.
“And that’s why there maybe does seem to be a push to marginalise us out of the next Government.”
Mr O’Gorman said he does not think a two-party Government between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael “would be good for people across the country; it certainly wouldn’t be the type of Government that would be good for our environment”.
The Green Party will launch its manifesto on Tuesday, which will outline its plans to develop an “IDA for skills” which would seek to address labour shortages by bringing workers into sectors that are under pressure. The manifesto will also outline plans for a migration office in Ireland and a call to extend the Help to Buy scheme to tenants seeking to purchase the homes they’re renting.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has said this morning that comments made by Michael O’Leary at a Fine Gael launch at the weekend “were crass and ill-informed”.
“I am pretty annoyed about it,” he said. “Teachers are those we trust with our most precious possession, children,” he said. “It’s a tough job and an impactful job so the comments were crass.” Harry McGee is at the Fine Gael housing launch and will bring us further updates.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns is on RTÉ’s Claire Byrne show. She says her party would “drive a hard bargain” if it was involved in Government-formation talks after the votes are counted. She said Fine Gael “are throwing around election promises now the way they threw around cash before the election was called”. Ms Cairns also said she believes Fine Gael are issuing “populist promises” and that their plan to cut the VAT rate for hospitality to 11 per cent was not “thought through”. We have an interview in this morning’s Irish Times with Ms Cairns. Political Correspondent Harry McGee reports that she will run the Soc Dems campaign from west Cork as her baby’s due date precedes the election.
We’ve had a few questions about when the deadline is to register to vote.
The deadline is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12th. This is the last day you can register to vote, or amend the register. If you’d like to check whether your details are up to date, visit checktheregister.ie.
Fine Gael is launching its general election housing policy this morning – here are the main headline points and promises.
The party says it will put €40 billion behind a plan to deliver 303,000 new homes by 2030, with a target of 60,000 per year by the end of that period.
If re-elected to Government, Fine Gael has pledged to raise the relief under the Help to Buy scheme to €40,000. The scheme currently offers tax rebates of up to €30,000 to first-time buyers. The party has also promised to extend the scheme to cover first-time buyers of second-hand homes.
The housing plans also contains a target of an eight-week turnaround from “sale agreed” to the handing over the keys which would be “supported by e-conveyancing and e-probate for faster processing to home ownership”.
The rent tax would also increase to €1,500 per renter, up from €1,000 – a clear play for the younger vote.
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary was out this morning on Newstalk, where he doubled down on the comments he made at the launch of the election campaign for Fine Gael Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke.
“This country is facing enormous challenges over the next decade, where the population is going to rise from five to six million people. Now we need lots of teachers delivering excellent education in the classroom, but a Dáil where there is a striking surplus of teachers is not necessarily one that’s going to get things done. I want to see more people enter the Dáil from private enterprise, from the private sector, and that’s the energy we need if we’re going to fix the infrastructure challenges we face, and if we’re going to provide housing and infrastructure for a population of six million people. I think teachers do a great job in the classroom, but I’m not sure that teachers in the Dáil are necessarily the best people to deliver the kind of change and enterprise we need.”
Green Party TD for Waterford Marc Ó Cathasaigh finds the bright side after hearing Michael O’Leary compare the Greens to “weeds”.
A Dublin Bay South source sends this picture in, telling us that a woman who is not a sports fan saw this Jim O’Callaghan rugby ball shaped poster this morning and asked: “why does he have a poster shaped like a baking dish?”
This came in from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) last night about those Michael O’Leary comments.
General secretary John Boyle said: “Teachers are the backbone of our country, shaping futures, inspiring minds, and driving the success of our society. The remarks made by Ryanair’s CEO at Minister Burke’s campaign launch are both outrageous and deeply insulting to the dedication and hard work of Ireland’s teachers.”
If you’re only catching up with the events of the weekend this morning, here is what O’Leary said as he launched the election campaign of outgoing Fine Gael Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke: “The Dáil is full of teachers. There is nothing wrong with teachers. I love teachers – I have four children – but I wouldn’t generally employ a lot of teachers to go out and get things done.”
This was followed by the sound of some pretty enthusiastic cheering from the Fine Gael contingent.
So, what’s in the political diary today?
Taoiseach Simon Harris will launch his party’s housing plan where he will promise more than 300,000 new homes by the end of the decade. Cormac McQuinn has a report on this here, including details of how the Rent Tax Credit would go up to €1,500 per tenant.
Fianna Fáil will this morning launch its general election manifesto – a key event for every party in a campaign where they outline their plans and promises for the year ahead. We will bring you live updates from that.
The Social Democrats will this morning publish a plan to “prevent the waste of taxpayers’ money and restore trust in politics and public life.” The party wants to establish a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) within the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will introduce the party’s slate of candidates at a press conference in Dublin. Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman will be canvassing with Dublin Central TD Patrick Costello.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin will later be canvassing in Louth and Meath. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik will join Dublin South Central General Election candidate Cllr Darragh Moriarty for a canvass in Dublin. Aontú will be launching their immigration policy.
Later tonight, each party’s housing spokesperson will appear on RTÉ’s Upfront programme with Katie Hannon to discuss their plans to address the housing crisis.
Good morning, Jennifer Bray here from The Irish Times political team. The campaign enters its fourth day today – and it’s not a great day for Fine Gael as the party finds itself on most of the front pages this morning over those Michael O’Leary comments. The party will be hoping to move on swiftly, but party figures fear that some votes may have been lost regardless. Shortly, The Irish Times Inside Politics morning digest will hit your inbox, written by yours truly, and this will give you bite-sized updates on the campaign so far.