Independents angry at Varadkar’s spending plans

TENSION is growing between the independent and Fine Gael ministers over the share-out of the limited budget for increased public expenditure.

In particular, a series of budgetary kites flown by the Social Protection Minister and Fine Gael leadership contender Leo Varadkar, has angered independent members of the Government.

One senior independent Government source told the Irish Mail on Sunday yesterday: ‘Minister Varadkar’s leadership ambitions will not be allowed eat into our budgetary allocations. This concept of Leo the great philanthropist is unconvincing.’

Even within Fine Gael there are concerns about Mr Varadkar’s spending plans, with one TD saying there are fears that ‘Leo will gobble all the cash up’.

Mr Varadkar responded yesterday: ‘No member of the Independent Alliance has contacted me about this, so I can’t imagine what the issue is.’

One FG source noted: ‘The independents need to calm down, ministers always ask for more than they are going to get.’

Independent Disability Minister Finian McGrath last week submitted a list of demands for a ‘25% increase in speechand-language therapy, increased personal assistant hours, more residential and respite places, medical cards for all children on Domicilary Care Allowance and a few other projects’.

The cost implications are substantial but a source said: ‘Finian’s status as the lynchpin of the coalition means he has a strong hand.’