The cosy relationship between FF and FG – by Joe McVeigh

You have only to observe the way that the current leaders of FF and FG – Martin and Harris -speak about and respond to members of Sinn Fein in the Dáil to realise that the contempt for republicans politically opposed to Partition is still strong. The bitterness and hostility towards Sinn Fein since they began taking their seats in Leinster House is plain for all to see. 

I believe the main reason for the growth of FF and FG in the 26 counties was the support they received from the Catholic hierarchy and the majority of the Catholic clergy. However, in recent years, that once cosy relationship has been unravelling.  They also received and still receive widespread support in the print and broadcast media-national and local. They still depend on the upwardly mobile business and professional people to remain in power. However, their power is waning. Many have come to realise that self-interest rather than the common good is what motivates them.

At the most recent election in 2024, FF returned a majority of seats to the Dáil with Sinn Fein in second place and FG in third. Fianna Fail, led by Micheál Martin, would not countenance forming a coalition with SF. Both FF and FG –the once bitter enemies- had been in government for ten years along with some Green party TDs. They united once again, this time with a group of Independents, to stop SF from getting into government. 

With SF now the second largest party in the south and the lead party in the 6 counties, FG and FF realised that the writing is on the wall for the cosy arrangement in the 26 counties. Neither party could ever be in government on their own again.  Neither party has shown any great enthusiasm for pursuing the legitimate goal of Irish unity and constitutional change which is the desire of many Irish citizens -north and south.  That desire of many was recognised in the Good Friday Agreement and so it included a commitment to the holding of a referendum. The alternative to the FF/FG coalition is a coalition of left leaning parties led by Sinn Fein. The Border referendum would be on the table.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement was meant to be a bridge towards the re-unification of Ireland and the end of British colonial involvement in Ireland. Micheál Martin TD who is Taoiseach and leader of FF prefers to talk about reconciling the Orange and the Green and uses rhetoric about ‘a shared island’ to avoid confronting the real issue -the Partition of Ireland and the undemocratic 6 county statelet. Every chance he gets he attacks SF – often referring to their past association with the IRA. He refuses to see the truth about the origins of his own Fianna Fail party. He is at the same time working to bring Ireland into a closer alliance with NATO and western political and military interests. Surely, the Churches should have something to say about that.

We are now witnessing the beginning of a new political process on this island about our future which involves people of all political traditions. Some members of the Unionist tradition have engaged in the conversation about the future and their contributions are invaluable. The Unionist community have a lot to give and a lot to gain as we go forward.

One former FG politician, Leo Varadkar, who was a former Taoiseach, has shown some courage and realism by becoming involved in the discussions about Ireland’s future. That discussion needs to continue and needs to involve all political parties and political thinkers so that the shape of a New Ireland which is seen to be attractive to a majority on both sides of the existing border will emerge. 

The resistance of FF and FG to even discussing the constitutional future of Ireland is another example of the counter-revolutionary mentality that still prevails in the 26 counties more than 100 years after this country was unjustly partitioned by the British. Surely, they ought to be ashamed of propping up that injustice for all these years.