Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has described this election as “one of the most important elections of my lifetime.”
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Ms McEntee acknowledged that recent opinion polls highlighted “this is a very tight race.”
“There are a lot of voters out there who are undecided and Fine Gael will continue to set out our stall until the polls close.
“I genuinely believe that this is probably one of the most important elections of my lifetime and of our generation. You only have to look at what is happening around the world, the significant global challenges that we are facing from war to economic instability.
“And that's what we have set out, a really ambitious plan for the next five years. And it's because of the fact that we have carefully managed the economy. It's because of the fact that we have the knowledge and the understanding in terms of responding to significant shocks that we've been able to do that.”
Minister of State Thomas Byrne told the same programme that Fianna Fáil had put a consistent focus on policy during the campaign.
“We're not like some parties who say this country is in trouble and this country is no good. We're saying this country has made great progress, Fianna Fáil wants to build on that progress and do a lot more.
“I think it's really, really important that people check out exactly what policies parties are offering before they vote. Sound bites are very, very easy, but the boring stuff is making sure you're actually able to build those houses. And I think Fianna Fáil has shown that we're able to do it.
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Trade and Employment Louise O’Reilly said that opinion polls were reflecting what she had experienced on the campaign trail, which was “momentum for change.”
“People are realising now that they can have a government that is not led by Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. For the first time in the history of the state, that is possible.
"Bear in mind that the polls are a little bit behind and certainly the feedback that I'm getting on the doorsteps is that people are ready for change. They simply can't afford another five years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”
Ms O’Reilly said that the mood on the doorsteps was “buoyant”.
“People are starting to be hopeful. There are a lot of people who are only making up their minds right now. And I'm saying to them, if you have never voted Sinn Féin before, lend us your vote, give us the chance to lead a government of change, a government that would be on the side of ordinary people and a government that will ensure that we start to undo some of the damage done by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.
Ms McEntee said that her party’s plan was fully costed and that Fine Gael had “always brought our country back from economic instability to stability to the point where we can invest in all of the things that people need. Everything that I am hearing on the doors is that people want stability, but they also want us to plan for the future.
"We are the party that has ensured over the last number of years 50,000 people have been able to draw down the first mortgage through the first time buyer scheme where the party that has a costed €40 billion plan to ensure that we can deliver those 300,000 homes for people now and into the future. We are the party that is saying we know that days are tough.
"We know that childcare costs a huge amount. We are going to cut that and we are going to make sure that it isn't a second mortgage for you and your family. We are going to protect our local businesses.
"So many of them are the lifeblood of our community, whether it's farmers, whether it's small and medium enterprises. And we are going to make sure that we have Gardai with body cameras and the resources and supports that they need around our country. The only reason that we can do that is because of a strong economy.”
Louise O’Reilly said that Sinn Féin was asking people “to vote for a government that would be on the side of ordinary people. We're asking people to vote for a government of change.
"We're asking people to take this opportunity to elect a government not by Fianna Fail or Fine Gael. For the first time in the history of this State and we are asking people to back our solutions to the multiple crises caused by government.”
However, Ms McEntee responded: “People should know that the day before an election, Sinn Fein have set out their housing policy on a plan that the banks have not even said whether they will fund or not and can't even give a commitment as to whether people will get mortgages or not.”
Ms O’Reilly said there had been extensive engagement by Pearse Doherty with the banking sector. “No bank is going to come to a formalised arrangement with an opposition party.
"Of course they're not. But what they will do when Sinn Féin is in government is we will ensure that we can secure that funding. What they have said and what the banks have said is they have set out their criteria, and we are satisfied and confident that we will be able to fulfil the criteria as they have outlined.”
