‘Lowry backed us so we will respond to his queries’ – Leo

LEO Varadkar has said Independent TD Michael Lowry ‘is able to contact the Government and contact ministers’, who will in turn respond to his queries, because he supports the Government in the Dáil.

Asked about any arrangement with former Fine Gael minister Mr Lowry, the Taoiseach said the Government doesn’t have a ‘formal deal’ with the Independent TD for his Dáil vote.

‘But he does support the Government and the fact that he supports the Government in votes, that he voted for me as Taoiseach, that he voted for the Cabinet to exist and be ministers, means that he is able to contact the Government and contact ministers and we’ll respond to the queries that he raises,’ Mr Varadkar added.

Mr Lowry said last summer that he had ‘two discussions’ with Mr Varadkar before deciding to vote for him as Taoiseach. He told the Dáil on Wednesday that the conversations related to the programme for government, and policies he hoped Mr Varadkar would support.

‘On the basis of those two discussions I had with him, I am very happy to support him as Taoiseach and to continue to support this Government, particularly on budgetary matters,’ he added.

Mr Varadkar was speaking yesterday at the opening in Cahir, Co. Tipperary, of a new constituency office by Fine Gael’s general election candidate Garret Ahearn.

The party has made Tipperary one of its top priorities for gains in the next election, after it lost both of its seats in the constituency in 2016.

Mr Lowry is one of three Independent TDs in the five-seat constituency, along with one from Fianna Fáil and one from Labour.