Email Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin are set for a showdown over the election date amid rising tensions between the two men. Fine Gael is furious about a letter sent by Mr Martin demanding that a date be set for the dissolution of the Dáil.
Rather than reply in writing, Mr Varadkar wants a face-to-face meeting with the Opposition leader either this week or immediately after the Christmas break.
Mr Martin said yesterday there was “no point” reconvening the Dáil after the festive recess if the Taoiseach did not give certainty on when the general election would be.
However, sources close to the Taoiseach noted he had repeatedly asked Fianna Fáil to agree an election date in summer 2020.
Mr Martin always declined to engage in such discussions.
“It’s a little ironic now for Fianna Fáil to be claiming the moral high ground,” a Government source said.
Preparations are well under way in both parties for an election with the vast majority of candidates selected and manifestos largely ready for printing.
On Saturday, Mr Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe met with director of elections from every constituency around the country.
Party sources insisted the gathering in the Red Cow Hotel on the outskirts of Dublin was a bi-annual event and not linked to rising expectation of an imminent election.
However, the Irish Independent understands Mr Varadkar gave a speech on the party’s priorities as they move into election season.
Fiona O’Connor, a member of the Fine Gael’s Executive Council, gave a presentation on the challenges that have faced the party while in government and also its achievements.
Those in attendance responded by briefing the Taoiseach on their readiness for polling days and any problems that might arise locally.
Attendees were also given advice on preparing press releases and dealing with the media. This is an area where the party was viewed to have fallen down during the recent by-elections, particularly in the case of Wexford candidate Verona Murphy.
She is expected to be dropped from the party ticket in January as a result of comments made about immigrants and a campaign video in which it was alleged the media had engaged in a character assassination.
The Dáil is due to close for a month-long recess on Wednesday night.
Ministers and TDs are wondering whether they will be back at all on January 15 or whether Mr Varadkar will ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the Dáil beforehand.
The Taoiseach has a heavy schedule for the festive period, but Government sources say that by mid-January all the focus will be back on the Brexit date of January 31.
Officials are working with Downing Street to find a date for a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London.
A source said it was likely to take place early in the new year, however a pre-Christmas meeting has not been ruled out.
Mr Varadkar plans to hold two Cabinet meetings this week before taking a family holiday in India in the days after December 25.
He has said his preferred date would be in May, while Mr Martin has said Easter (April 12) would be a natural end for the Dáil.
But control over the date may not be in either leader’s hands due to the Dáil arithmetic.
If another party were to table a motion of no confidence in a minister, the Government is unlikely to have the numbers to withstand it even if Fianna Fáil abstains.
The situation is further complicated because Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness will no longer abide by the Confidence and Supply agreement. «Lead the way Micheál, set the date, mid-February, enough is enough,» he said yesterday.
Relations between the two main parties are extremely low after details of Mr Martin’s letter were revealed in yesterday’s ‘Sunday Independent’.
In it he called on the Taoiseach to «step in and give some certainty» that would allow for an orderly wind-down of the Government.
«Nothing positive can be achieved if we allow growing escalation of speculation» or «short-term tactics» concerning the calling of an election, he added.
Speaking on Newstalk’s ‘On the Record’, Mr Martin said there was «no point» in TDs returning to the Dáil on January 15 if there is still uncertainty over an election.
«It is not tenable that the Dáil will continue on an indefinite week-to-week basis so there has to be certainty and clarity brought to the situation,» added Mr Martin.
He said Fianna Fáil would agree to stick with the Confidence and Supply arrangement for the 34 sitting days until Easter if the Government gave certain commitments.
These include the extension to the threshold for medical card eligibility for over-70s, legislation on electoral transparency and new laws for open disclosure in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal.
Mr Martin said the time left for this Dáil was essentially a «tidying up period».
A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said he «won’t be discussing matters with Micheál Martin through the media».
He pointed to comments by Tánaiste Simon Coveney, who argued Mr Martin was «slow off the mark» with his letter.
«Eighteen months ago the Taoiseach wrote to Micheál Martin requesting that they agree a date in May to provide stability,» he said.
Свежие комментарии