A row between Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats over national financing is continuing.
Fine Gael's Richard Bruton has described the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, as a co-conspirator in what Mr Bruton says is a destructive cycle of Fianna Fáil election budgets.
Responding to a statement from the minister attacking Fine Gael claims about the national finances, Mr Bruton said Mr McDowell had fabricated criticisms of his party.
In a speech in Cork last night, Mr McDowell accused Fine Gael of engaging in destructive politics.
He claimed the main opposition party was offering a ‘destructive form of politics’ which sought to pull down what was there without proposing anything to take its place.
He said that Fine Gael was seeking a mandate to govern, without a mandate to do anything.
The minister added that in any alternative coalition Labour and the Greens would ‘take over the steering wheel of government’.
Mr McDowell criticised Fine Gael's policy document, published at the weekend, saying it was ‘bogus’ and would significantly increase the administrative workload of the State.
