Irish govt thrown into crisis ahead of key Brexit talks
DUBLIN: Ireland’s minority government was on the brink of collapse Friday after the main opposition party submitted a motion of no-confidence in the deputy prime minister just weeks before a key summit on Brexit.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, leader of the Fine Gael party that heads the government, has ruled out the resignation of his deputy Frances Fitzgerald.
But opposition Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said there would be an election if she did not step down.
Fianna Fail props up the minority government, and the prospect of a snap election before Christmas looms if it removes its support.
Fitzgerald “should step aside in our view and that would avoid a general election,” Martin told RTE public radio.
The motion is set to be voted on next Tuesday, pushing Varadkar’s minority government to the brink ahead of a key summit next month with EU leaders where the issue of Ireland’s post-Brexit border with Britain will be on the agenda.
Ireland is pushing EU leaders to ensure its concerns about the border with British-ruled Northern Ireland are taken into account before Brexit talks can continue, adding an unexpected hurdle to Britain’s plans.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney arrived for a meeting in Brussels on Friday, accusing Fianna Fail of jeopardising the national interest.
“Fianna Fail are behaving recklessly here,” he told reporters.
“We have a precarious situation with the main opposition party that signed up to a agreement in the country’s interest ... now effectively breaching that and risking an election at a time when there are some really, really serious issues for the government to manage,” he added.
Both parties said that a vote, if necessary, should be conducted as soon as possible, with senior government figures suggesting the week of Dec 18. — AFP