#Elections2019: FG hit out at 'absent' Micheál Martin in Cork local election campaigns
Fine Gael's Director of Elections, Minister John Paul Phelan, has lashed Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin for being absent in Cork City for the duration of the local council campaign.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner at the RDS in Dublin, Mr Phelan said it has been a “mixed day” for Fine Gael in the local and European elections and the three plebiscite votes in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
“In Cork County we will gain four seats, in Cork City it will be two or three, in the home of the leader of the opposition, who has been absent for most of the last month, so 'where is Micheál' in terms of the election result,” he said.
“So it has been a mixed result overall. But it is the second time in 40 years that a sitting party in Government will come out with more seats than they went in with,” he added.
Mr Phelan said it was far too early to accept defeat in the plebiscite referendums amid widespread criticism of the lack of information on the proposal to introduce directly elected mayors.
Minister John Paul Phelan lashes "absent" Fianna Fail leader @MichealMartinTD from local election campaign, says today is a "mixed result" for Fine Gael #iestaff pic.twitter.com/z7ATGIdldh
— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) May 25, 2019
