‘I want to be very clear, my party won't engage with Sinn Fein’ – Taoiseach Simon Harris

The Taoiseach - speaking as Fine Gael election candidates gathered for the rally at the Horse and Jockey in Tipperary - took aim at Sinn Féin whom he ruled out of any Coalition government involving Fine Gael.

Mr Harris warned that Sinn Féin's proposed heavy spending and higher taxes if elected represents a clear risk to the future health of the Irish economy.

However, the Taoiseach pointedly warned that he would not "close the door" on other parties that share a similar policy and economic outlook as Fine Gael.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Fianna Fáil - Fine Gael's Coalition partners in the 33rd Dáil - also ruled out Sinn Féin from any Coalition talks while emphatically leaving the door open to the Greens, Labour, Social Democrats and independents.

"I want to be very clear, my party won't engage with Sinn Fein," Mr Harris insisted.

"That's not a surprise to Sinn Fein or anybody in Ireland. But other than that, of course, we will sit down and engage with all parties."

"It's a matter for the public, the people of Ireland, to decide what they want the composition of the next Dáil to be."

Speaking at the launch, Mr Harris claimed no other party boasted Fine Gael's record of careful management of the economy as he outlined a package which included a €1bn investment in public services, an 'Acorn' scheme for long-term savings for Irish children, tax measures to ensure average wage earners avoid higher tax rates, strong law and order measures and supports for Irish business.

He stressed that Fine Gael has a proud history of working well with other parties as part of coalition governments.

"My party does have a track record of working well with lots of parties. We've been in governments with Labour. We've been in governments with independents. We've been in minority governments, where we've worked across the Dail chamber, and of course, most recently, we've been in a three party coalition."

The key measures included in the FG manifesto include a mix of financial and social services investments.

One of the manifesto highlights for FG is a so-called 'Acorn' scheme to boost the future of Irish children.

Under the plan, the State will agree to pay a sum of between €1,000 and €1,500 into a special savings account for newborn children.

The interest rate offered on the account will be 4pc and children will only be able to access the funds for their future studies, home purchases etc when they are 18 and over.

Mr Harris said this would offer "a valuable nest egg for the future of Irish children."

Parents will have the option of putting up to €2,000 per annum into the account with interest and tax benefits.

A family that makes the maximum contribution to the children's saving scheme will, with 4pc annual interest, help their child to have a €53,000 lump sum by the time they have reached 18 years.

Further, the party will provide 'baby bundles' for every newborn child in Ireland ranging from nappies and blankets to digital thermometers and clothes.

Childcare costs will be capped at €200 per child or €600 for a family with three children or more.

The party has also committed to extra teacher training in special needs education.

Fine Gael has also promised to expand house building and plans to create a new housing infrastructure division within the department to deal with planning and developmental bottlenecks.

The party has set a target of building 300,000 new homes by 2030.

First-time buyers will also be able to avail of a new relief threshold of €40,000 under the Help to Buy Scheme, a hike of 33pc.

To help finance the housing market, private sector involvement in financing will be boosted to €20bn per year to deliver 60,000 new homes by 2030.

In terms of social housing, the aim is to build 12,000 homes per year.

While Fianna Fáil has highlighted law and order issues, vowing to recruit 5,000 extra Gardaí, Mr Harris said Fine Gael will recruit 1,000 more to a total expansion of the force by 6,000 personnel.

This will be matched by investment in equipment such as body-cameras, patrol cars and facial recognition technology systems.

Fine Gael has also committed to expanding prison capacity with 1,500 new prison spaces to be provided.

Electronic tagging of sex offenders will also be made operational.

Fine Gael also committed to increase spending on defence matters with enhanced equipment and staffing levels for the army, naval service and air corps.

Mr Harris said the party was committed to a Defence Forces staffing level of 11,500 personnel.

He also vowed to deliver a more assertive foreign, defence and security policy while safeguarding Ireland's neutrality status.

The Taoiseach said new measures will also be implemented in respect of migration to ensure a fair, compassionate but rigorous system.

A new dedicated division of the High Court will be created to handle migration matters - and a fast-tracking of processing applications.

Fines will also be increased for airlines found in breach of documentation rules in respect of migrants.

Mr Harris also said that over-stretched public services will receive a major boost from a €1bn investment.

This will specifically aim to reduce waiting times for treatments such as special education assessments and disability services as well as helping to ease the cost of childcare for working families.

Critically, Mr Harris stressed that tax measures will be introduced to maximise the take home income of those on average working wages.

The Taoiseach vowed that tax changes will ensure that no one on such pay will fall within higher tax rates.

In terms of healthcare, the party said it is committed to providing 5,000 new inpatient hospital beds by 2031.

Mr Harris insisted the Fine Gael manifesto offered a careful balance of spending, investment and planning for the future.

He warned that stable government was now imperative for Ireland given the potential economic shocks on the horizon.

"There is absolutely no doubt that the risk of a transatlantic trade 'shock' has risen.

"We now have a democratically elected President of the US...who has made it clear he wants to impose tariffs and the like. That can have a real impact on the European economy and a real impact on the Irish economy. But, let's be hopeful, there are a couple of things.

"Before the US election, the EU and the US need each other - and after the US election the EU and US need each other.

"When it comes to Ireland, it is a two-way street.

"Yes, there are lots of US companies that have created lots and lots of jobs in Ireland including in Cork.

"But there are now Irish companies creating jobs in every single state in the US. I will, of course, be making that point to President Trump in our discussions and in our engagements."

Irish firms are now the seventh biggest foreign investors in the US economy.

Mr Harris said Fine Gael's insistence on planning for the future has been borne out by recent events.

"We have often been excoriated by political opponents - and sometimes by commentators and pundits - for putting aside some but not all of the surplus funds that this country has.

"We have been setting aside money for future funds for climate, for infrastructure - I believed at the time it was the right thing to do and I believed it was the right leadership from Paschal Donohoe over successive years.

"I believe it looks even more like the right thing to have done now because the brigade that would spend it all just because we have it now or hope to have it in the future that argument seems more foolish and more risky after the outcome of the US election."