Varadkar's Dáil attack on Pearse Doherty was important and justified

• Author: Stephen Collins
• Published date: 24 June 2022
• Publication title: Irish Times: Web Edition Articles (Dublin, Ireland)

There was a predictable outbreak of tut-tutting in the media at the Tánaiste's robust response to Pearse Doherty – but it was long overdue. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been far too timid for the past two years in the face of an unrelenting onslaught from Sinn Féin in the Dáil, social media and every public forum

Micheál Martin and Varadkar have been prepared to take on Sinn Féin but too few of their Cabinet colleagues and TDs have shown similar resolve. If the parties in Government are not prepared to defend their record, the public will rightly conclude that they are not fit to run the country for another term.

Doherty accuses Varadkar of 'scripted' and 'rehearsed' comments

The future direction of Irish democracy will be on the line in the next election, with the centre parties that have charted the country's course for the past century facing a determined challenge from the populist Sinn Féin juggernaut. The outcome of that election will define the country's future direction for decades to come.

Sinn Féin's impressive poll ratings have induced a mood of defeatism among too many Government TDs. They ignore the fact that the polls also show that the three Coalition parties combined still command the support of around half of the electorate despite the succession of crises they have had to deal with. Given that Sinn Féin will have to find a Coalition partner to win power, the outcome of the next election is not a foregone conclusion.

Varadkar certainly got down and dirty in the Dáil exchanges with Doherty but only in response to the Donegal TD throwing the first stone. As well getting personal, the Tánaiste made a number of salient political points, including the fact that Sinn Féin is one of the biggest property owners in the state and appears to have a bottomless pit of financial resources compared to the other political parties.

Varadkar is not the only one who has pointed this out. Peadar Tóibín, the Aontú TD for Meath, who was a Sinn Féin member for 21 years before quitting in protest at the party's stance on abortion in 2018, told the Dáil last month that Sinn Féin had over 100 properties in the State at the moment.

Responding to Sinn Féin's demand that the State should requisition the land for the National Maternity Hospital from the nuns who operate St Vincent's, he said: "I would suggest that maybe Sinn Féin gift some of their properties to the State. It is easy to be generous with other people's money. People shouldn't ask others to do what...