Politics

Analysis: Alarm bells raised in Fine Gael by Michael McGrath’s ‘Ashtown ambush’

The reaction to the finance minister’s arrival in the Taoiseach’s constituency shows how tensions have risen in the coalition

Michael McGrath was in Ashtown to launch a new housing development, but tensions are rising in the coalition. Picture: Fennell Photography

Alarm bells went off in Fine Gael this morning when Michael McGrath, the Minister for Finance, turned up suddenly in Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s constituency.

He was there launching a new housing development in Ashtown in Dublin West which had been made possible by funding from the state’s Home Building Finance Ireland agency.

Ministers love to be at the launch of new homes, especially in the middle of a housing crisis, so questions were raised in ...