Aontú leadar Peadar Toibin said Ireland is ruled by an increasingly 'south Dublin Government', despite only two ministers being elected in south Dublin constituencies.

Addressing delegates at the party's Ard Fheis yesterday, Mr Toibin said the number of south Dublin ministers exacerbates imbalanced regional development. 

“The root of this problem is, I believe that the Fianna Fail-Fine Gael-Green Government is increasingly a south Dublin Government that cannot see beyond the M50,” he said. 

“When it comes to investments, we want to see proper investment into the region, a border innovation zone to make sure that we bring investment there. 

“We want to see Rosslare Europort properly function, we want to support Bord na Mona stop selling all its land in contracts and become an engine of enterprise for the Midlands region.” 

Only Ministers Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin were elected in Dublin Bay South and Dublin Rathdown respectively. 

Other ministers from Dublin constituencies include Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central), Darragh O’Brien (Dublin Fingal) and Roderic O’Gorman (Dublin West). 

Taoiseach Simon Harris and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly were elected in Wicklow. 

Out 16 junior ministers, three are from south Dublin constituencies - Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Neale Richmond and Ossian Smyth.

Toibin: Ireland ran by 'political cartel'

Mr Toibin said Ireland is ruled by a “political cartel”. 

“The island has actually been ruled by a political cartel and metropolitan elites who are making decisions for this country oblivious to the needs of the people,” he said. 

“There seems to be a constant feedback loop with some NGOs and some within the media.” 

Mr Toibin also said Ireland's housing crisis is as a result of the Government stopping building housing ten years ago. 

Peadar Toibin addressing the media outside Leinster House in November 2018. Image: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

He was also critical of local authorities' “turn around” times on vacant social housing, and the derelict homes scheme, which, he said was “overly bureaucratic”. 

“[There are] 60,000 empty homes in the State at the moment,” he said. 

“That's like sending ships abroad with food in the Famine. 

“The Government has created a grant system, but it’s so bureaucratic that you have to be homeless and have an empty home to be able to get it.” 

Some 400 people attended the Aontú Ard Fheis yesterday in Maynooth, Co Kildare.