‘I’m trying to end political instability’

THE Taoiseach yesterday pledged to smooth over ‘political instability’ by publishing his demands of Fianna Fáil for an extension to an agreement that is keeping the Government in power.

‘I want to take away the political instability that exists at the moment,’ he said at his party think-in in Galway yesterday.

‘That’s why I wrote the letter, sent it to Micheál Martin, and published it five days later. That set out what we are looking for, which is an agreed election date in the summer of 2020, giving us political stability and removing an uncertainty between now and Brexit.’

Asked if he would deal with another party or group of parties if Fianna Fáil failed to underwrite further support, Mr Varadkar said he was ‘not contemplating that’.

However, Fianna Fáil chairman of the Oireachtas Finance committee John McGuinness said on RTÉ Radio yesterday: ‘Both parties are looking at the possibility of a general election because the Confidence and Supply Agreement has reached its natural end…

‘Both party leaders are facing off against each other. There’s a bit of shadow boxing going on.

‘The question is: do we want to continue in this Confidence and Supply agreement based on what has happened over the last three years? In my opinion it has not served the country well.’