Coveney and Varadkar put their pitches to rural voters
SIMON COVENEY and Leo Varadkar made their pitches to rural Ireland in the first Fine Gael leadership debate outside of Dublin.
While Mr Coveney pledged to “rebalance” the country, Mr Varadkar sought to shrug off his metropolitan image, pledging to be a “Taoiseach for all of Ireland”.
Meanwhile, the divisive issue of the Eighth Amendment on abortion was raised for the first time in the hustings process.
Mr Coveney told around 600 party members assembled in Carlow they would have to consider who has the talent and energy for the job given the “huge challenges” of Brexit and the urban-rural divide.
He said there is a need to drive investments into regions “like this one” and support indigenous industries. He referenced his time as agriculture minister, speaking of how he was in office when large investments were being made by agri-food companies.
Mr Coveney said the milk quota had been abolished and that sugar quotas are to follow, allowing Ireland to “rebuild the sugar industry” which was once centred around Carlow.
Mr Varadkar said he was “conscious” he was not in Dublin, adding he’s always tried to support rural Ireland. He listed the Gathering tourism initiative, the Vat reduction for the hospitality sector and getting rid of the travel tax, which all took place under his watch at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
He also said there’s a need to invest in the ambulance service in rural Ireland.
Mr Varadkar pledged: “I won’t be Taoiseach for Dublin, I’ll be Taoiseach for all of Ireland.”
Fine Gael’s nightmare on water charges was also referenced by both candidates.
Mr Varadkar recalled the 2014 local elections when party members were “falling over water meters to knock on doors to say why the government has taken medical cards”.
“That will never happen if I am leader of Fine Gael,” he said, adding that as health minister he doubled the number of discretionary medical cards.
Mr Coveney said he was involved in settling the “water issue once and for all” after it “dogged the party for years”.
They were asked their views on the liberal recommendations of the recent Citizens’ Assembly that examined the Eighth Amendment.
Mr Coveney said he’s “not supportive of unrestricted access to abortion in Ireland”.
Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t agree with abortion on request but I also think the Eighth Amendment is too restrictive.” He said he wants to see a referendum on the issue next year.
Both Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney ruled out a future coalition with Sinn Féin. Mr Varadkar said: “I don’t believe they’re a fully democratic party.”
Mr Coveney said: “Regardless of who wins this process, Fine Gael will not be forming a government with Sinn Féin.”