LEADER OF THE LABOUR Party, Ivana Bacik has hit out at Sinn Féin and said that she has “difficulties” describing it as a left-wing party.

In an interview with The Journal, the Dublin Bay South TD said her party has “huge ideological differences” with the three biggest political parties in the State – Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin.

On Sinn Féin, Bacik said she would describe the party as “populist” and argued it has taken positions, particularly on taxation and climate change, that are “at odds with left-wing parties” and not “credible”.

“They themselves would acknowledge their guiding force is nationalism and not social democracy or socialism,” Bacik argued.

Sinn Féin has long described itself as a left-wing nationalist party, with its members sitting in The Left group of the European Parliament. However, in recent times, the party has struggled internally with a clash in values.

In particular, Bacik pointed to the party’s record on climate change; its “flip flop” on the Nature Restoration Law at EU level and its opposition to the carbon tax nationally (something other parties on the left, such as People Before Profit are also opposed to).

On the Nature Restoration Law, Bacik said: “I mean, the biggest innovation on tackling climate at EU level and Sinn Féin vote against it?

“That’s not credible.”

Bacik also pointed to the party’s proposal to scrap the property tax as a stance that doesn’t align with traditional left-wing ideology.

“That’s a wealth tax. It’s a tax on assets. And I always had the belief that for us on the left, the party of work, party of the trade union movement, our focus in taxation must be on wealth and not on work,” Bacik said.

As part of its pitch to voters in this election, the Labour Party is not proposing any increase in income tax, but Bacik said she does believe that a solid and fair tax base should be a priority for government.

The Labour Party currently has six TDs in the Dáil, with two, Brendan Howlin and Seán Sherlock not seeking re-election. In this election, it is running 32 candidates and Bacik is hoping to build on what they have.

The party was once one of the “big three” parties in the country, but after dropping to just seven TDs in 2016 after its stint in government it has not yet managed to return to its 2011 high of 37 TDs.

During this election, it has been reported that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been eyeing up the Labour Party as a possible junior coalition partner to replace the Greens, an idea Bacik has dismissed as “arrogant”.

But Bacik has long talked about her party being “serious” about going into government. Is she willing to do that no matter the cost to her party’s future?

On the suggestion that Labour would risk a hammering from the electorate, similar to 2011 if it went into government with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, Bacik makes the point that both parties have “wasted a decade of prosperity” and what she and her Labour colleagues want to see is real change in communities.

“It’s not about one party, it’s about actually delivering change.

“And the best, the only way, to deliver change is through going into government,” she said.

She is firm though that her first priority, if re-elected, will be to form a “common platform” on the left, namely with the Green Party and the Social Democrats, to go into any government formation talks together.

Taoiseach Simon Harris rejected this idea on Friday in an interview with the Irish Times, but Bacik said it is “presumptuous” and “arrogant” for him to categorically rule anyone out at this point.

She also pushed back on the idea that a coalition involving a number of smaller parties on the left would be unstable, arguing that a clear policy platform would counter this.

Fears of Aontú and Independent Ireland

Bacik’s “biggest fear” is that the next government would be any of the three biggest parties in coalition with a group of Independents or “far-right Independents”.

“Then we will see not only a lack of stability in government, but a really, seriously dangerous set of policies being adopted that will set us back on climate action. That’s a real fear, as we see with Trump, and will not guarantee the state investment in housing and care that is needed and that people are looking for.”

In particular, Bacik said she would be “very worried” about the prospect of Aontú or Independent Ireland being in government.

On incoming US President Donald Trump, Bacik spoke of how, as the mother of teenagers, she was “deeply distressed” to see Trump re-elected.

She said his presidency for the next four years will likely set back climate action “irrevocably” and argued that this means greater action is needed domestically.

“The Greens have been talking about their time in government, but even with their efforts, at best, the EPA are saying we’re only on target to achieve 29% emission reductions by 2030. The EU binding goal is 51%. That’s absolutely terrifying.

“So we need to see a collective mass, a critical mass, of TDs in the next government who are committed to climate action, whatever party they’re from. We need that common platform on environmental issues, as we do on housing and on childcare,” Bacik said.

Elsewhere, Bacik made the point that some of the criticism of Justice Minister Helen McEntee from political candidates in this election has been gendered.

“I would be very concerned about that. As a former criminal practitioner, I have a lot of criticisms of the Justice Minister’s approach, particularly on policing,” Bacik said, highlighting in particular a failure to recruit and retain sufficient numbers of gardaí.

“So I have criticisms for the Justice Minister, but I absolutely refute any attempt to make gendered criticisms. And to suggest, as some of her coalition colleagues have done, in this sort of phony war that’s going on between the two [parties], that she’s somehow at fault for having taken time of for maternity leave is unacceptable.”

Earlier this week, Tánaiste Micheál Martin defended comments made by junior minister James Browne, that referenced times McEntee was replaced by colleagues while on maternity leave, and said they were “completely misinterpreted”.