Taoiseach Enda Kenny has claimed Fianna Fáil is not fit for government and its leader Micheál Martin has "isolated" the party from that possibility.

Mr Kenny said the party is engaging in “desperation attacks” to distract from its ongoing battle with Sinn Féin.

Mr Martin has alleged that Fine Gael was implementing right-wing and deeply unfair policies. Speaking in the Netherlands, Mr Kenny said he would not take criticism on the economy from Fianna Fáil, who "drove our country off an economic cliff".

“They’ve already isolated themselves completely from government, and that’s in the words of Micheál Martin himself,” he said. “Here’s the leader of a party, the direct link to what caused an economic catastrophe in our country, which drove away thousands of our young people.”

Mr Kenny said Mr Martin’s “desperation attack is something that is now beginning to convulse the party”.

‘Clear plan’

“The Government, on the other hand, of Fine Gael and

Labour

, have a clear plan and strategy to fulfil the remit given to us by the people to fix our public finances and put the country back to work,” he said. “Fianna Fáil has opposed every one of those measures and what they want to do is go back to the same old way, where they destroyed public services that we are now rebuilding.”

The Taoiseach was reacting to claims by Mr Martin that voters did not want Mr Kenny to be re-elected. Mr Martin said the policies of Fine Gael were deeply unfair and have delivered rising inequality.