Fianna Fáil 'selective amnesia' over their support for water charges

FIANNA FÁIL leader Mícheál Martin has been described by Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín as having "selective amnesia" over his and his party's role in the introduction of water charges and the handing over of €64billion in taxpayers' money to bail out bad banks.

The Meath West deputy's comments came after the Fianna Fáil leader expressed his support for Tory welfare cuts in the North during an interview on Newstalk radio on Tuesday morning.

The Fianna Fáil leader also claimed that Fine Gael is "too right-wing" for his party.

Peadar Tóibín (pictured) described Martin's comments as "cynical" and his attempt to align himself with the Left while supporting British Tory policy as "truly breath-taking".

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation said that – thankfully for ordinary people in the North – Fianna Fáil has no role in the Northern Executive:

"Unlike Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin will not support policies that will disadvantage the most vulnerable in our society and it is Sinn Féin that has blocked the introduction of water charging in the North."

Peadar Tóibín pointed out that the Fianna Fáil leader had supported the introduction of domestic water charges when he was in Government. It is that policy which Fine Gael and Labour are now implementing, he said.

"Micheál Martin has played a central role in Fianna Fáil's pursuit of right-wing, socially unjust, and economically-flawed policies."