Fianna Fáil’s three youngest TDs have issued a joint statement criticising the Government’s response to the fuel protests – having voted in favour of the Government’s confidence motion on Tuesday.
TDs James O’Connor, Albert Dolan and Ryan O’Meara said on Wednesday that they have “real and deep concern”over the Government response, as they called for colleagues within the party to work to restore trust in Fianna Fáil.
Deputy O’Connor is 28 years old, while Deputy Dolan is 26, and Deputy O’Meara is 29.
“As the youngest Fianna Fáil TDs, we view the events of the past few weeks with a real and deep concern. We got involved in politics because we believe deeply in the capacity of democratic representation to deliver real change, to improve lives,” the statement said.
“We are unusual among our generation for seeing politics as a way forward, not a closed system. And pivotal to this is a strong bond between citizens and their government. We view elected office as an honour, but above all as a responsibility.
“A responsibility to ensure that the decisions taken in the Dáil and Seanad truly reflect the needs, ambitions, and values of the people who elected us.”
The letter goes on to state that: “Across Europe, we see inspiring examples of democratic renewal. Last Sunday millions of young Hungarians turned out to vote for change, recognising that the simple act of marking a ballot paper can help set a country’s direction.
“It is a reminder that democracy only thrives when people see that their participation matters and that government responds when it hears their voice.
“It should not require protests and deep community frustration to get a government to listen and to act. We are deeply worried that the lesson that many of our age will take from recent events is that our politics are not working.”
The TDs said that they joined Fianna Fáil because “we want to make Ireland better.”
“We took inspiration from the fact that many of the founders of Fianna Fáil were around our age when they created the party 100 years ago. Sean Lemass was not yet 27, Frank Aiken was 28.
“We did not join Fianna Fáil because we thought everything was perfect. We joined because we saw the need for radical change, but change delivered through practical and principled actions.”
The letter also says: “We believe in a strong social contract: where a good education, hard work, and civic responsibility are recognised and rewarded: where aspiration is encouraged and where government acts as a fair enabler of achievement and progress; not a gate keeper on supports.
“We want clear connections between effort and reward, between contribution and opportunity. We want home ownership to be an achievable reality, not a distant hope.
‘THE SOCIAL CONTRACT IS STRAINED TO BREAKING POINT’
“We must face the reality that the social contract is strained to breaking point. Too many of our peers see no connection between what happens at the ballot box and what follows in government.
“This disconnect threatens public faith in politics and our democracy. Our responsibility, as members of Fianna Fáil and as legislators, is to help rebuild that connection.”
The TDs said that this is “not about challenging any individual or singling out any member of government” – claiming “it is about challenging ourselves and our party colleagues to do better; to listen more closely; to speak more honestly; and to act more decisively in pursuit of the common good.”
“This is not a communications issue,” they claim, adding: “This is not about being better on Tik Tok. It is about rediscovering the first principles of Fianna Fáil: putting people first.”
They add in the letter that “too often today we find senior colleagues expect us to just explain their government difficulties to our communities. That is not the role we want, nor will we accept it any longer.”
“The policies we back in the Dáil must produce results felt in homes, schools and workplaces across the country.”
‘THEY ARE THE GOVERNMENT’
They say they are committed to working with Oireachtas colleagues, young and old, to “restore the trust and connection that once defined Fianna Fáil’s relationship with the Irish people.”
“It is a task that has long been neglected, and recent events have not helped to repair the damage. The responsibility now lies with us. We will dedicate our efforts in the weeks and months ahead to ensuring that this vital reconnection takes place and that politics once again serves the people.”
In response to the statement, Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn said: “They are the Government. You cannot admit failure and still support the decisions causing it.”
“People are not protesting over communication. They are protesting because life is unaffordable. Ireland needs action, not statements,” the Cork TD wrote on X.
The letter comes less than 24 hours after the Dáil divided, with 92 TDs voting confidence in the Government, 78 voting no confidence, and no abstensions.
All Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs supported the Government, with just two government-supporting TDs voting against: Danny Healy-Rae and his brother, former Government Minister, Michael Healy-Rae.
Also this afternoon, Dublin Bay North Independent, Barry Heneghan TD, released a statement, claiming that they had been “a lot of misinformation online about the repercussions of the Government falling.”
The Independent, who voted in favour of the Government, defended his vote, claiming “people need support, not political chaos.”
“People and families in my constituency are contacting me daily […] I was on the phone to people asking me to vote no confidence. I told them that then the Government, if it fell, would not be able to bring in financial supports,” said Heneghan. “Without a functioning government, nothing would be happening.”
He claimed his decision was “from the bottom of his heart” and it had been “done for the best reason, for [constituents] to benefit from financial measures.”
A full breakdown of how TDs voted can be found here.