Labour leader Ivana Bacik has refused to commit to whether or not her party will enter government with Sinn Féin.
In an interview with the Irish Mirror, she said that she was not ruling out Labour entering government with the party, her “personal opinion” is that she would not want a Sinn Féin/Labour coalition.
It comes as she prepares to go head-to-head with Mary Lou McDonald on housing in the Dáil as she becomes her party’s housing spokesperson.
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While the next general election might be two years away, there is an assumption in some quarters that Sinn Féin could lead the next government.
This has led to speculation about who could team up with the party to form a coalition.
Ms Bacik was reluctant to reveal whether or not she would lead Labour into Government with Sinn Féin.
“My focus is on building and growing our party,” she said.
“Obviously, it will be up to the people if and when there is a general election. It could be much sooner than two and a half years.
“We're mindful of that and we're very clear we want to be like we are election ready whenever it comes.
“For me, it's about the outcome, not the process. It's about ensuring that we'd have enough TDs in the Dáil and senators in the Seanad to deliver a social democratic set of values and policies.
“What most people want to know when we're canvassing is what policies we stand for.
“I was asked [would we go into Government with Sinn Féín during the by-election of July 2021].
“My answer was always the same; We're focused on what we offer on our policies.
“There's an appetite for the change we offer and a constructive social democratic change that is very different to the messaging of Sinn Fein, which is largely populist.”
Although the Labour leader would not give a direct answer on whether she would go into power with Sinn Féin in recent weeks, she did answer the question before she succeeded Alan Kelly.
Ms Bacik told this journalist that she “personally wouldn’t want [Labour] to enter into coalition with Sinn Féin”.
“I wouldn't want us to go into Government with Sinn Féin currently, no,” she said in July 2021.
When these quotes were put to her by the Irish Mirror, Ms Bacik said that this was her “personal position and I haven’t changed my own view on it”.
“I’m not saying [I wouldn’t lead Labour into coalition with Sinn Féin],” she added.
“It remains my personal position, that is all I’ll say.”
Ms Bacik will take over as Labour's housing spokesperson when Senator Rebecca Moynihan goes on maternity leave in the new year.
While Sinn Féin has dominated the housing brief in the Dáil, Ms Bacik insisted she is not worried about being drowned out by Ms McDonald.
“Housing is the most pressing issue for not just a new generation, but across the country,” she said.
“Housing is not the preserve of any one party or any one individual. It’s the focus of everybody.”
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