Confidence and Supply documents should be released

Labour Party Leader, Brendan Howlin TD, has called for the Fine Gael Government and Fianna Fáil to commit to releasing all the documentation prepared by public servants for use during recent talks to review and extend the confidence and supply agreement.

Deputy Howlin said:

“It is clear that an election should not be held in advance of certainty as to what will happen with Brexit. However, it is our contention that once we know what type of Brexit we will face there is no reason to further delay an election.

“The Fianna Fáil leader has now announced that he will extend the agreement to support a minority Fine Gael government for a further year until 2020.

“But we will know by the end of March whether a Brexit agreement will be in place. After that an election can be held and there is no reason that cannot be facilitated in summer 2019.

“Over a number of weeks detailed talks were held with input from civil servants, and a review of policy developments and failures in most Departments.

“It is essential for full public transparency that those documents are now released, and clarification provided on what concessions were made to secure a one year extension of the minority government.

“Across health, housing, and in the provision of broadband this Government is clearly failing. The Labour Party is ready for an election. The people deserve better than a further twelve months of ‘do little’ government.”