Varadkar: I’m staying in power to keep Sinn Féin out
TÁNAISTE Leo Varadkar has said he is determined to stay in Government to keep Sinn Féin out of power, despite some members of his party being eager to enter opposition.
The Fine Gael leader indicated yesterday that his main goal of staying in Government is to prevent ‘people from suffering’ under Sinn Féin.
When his party lost 12 seats in the 2020 general election, Mr Varadkar said he would lead his party into opposition after nine years in power.
He said Fine Gael would go into Government only as a ‘last resort’. But after the onset of the Covid pandemic, the party entered coalition with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.
Speaking to Highland Radio yesterday, Mr Varadkar said it is his ambition for Fine Gael to remain in Government, even though he said some in Fine Gael want to go into opposition.
He denied that the country ‘needs a break’ from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáilled governments and suggested that there would ‘be very negative consequences’ if an alternative administration came to power.
‘I’m sure there are loads of people in my party, or there are a number of people in my party – not the majority – who might take the view that it’s time for a break, time to rebuild,’ he said. ‘I’m not [of that view]. The reason why I’m in politics isn’t just to advance Fine Gael. The reason why I’m in politics is to build a better country and a better community.’
He added: ‘The Government that we have, while it’s imperfect, is doing well. I don’t want Ireland to go backwards. I hate this idea of: “Let’s give people a taste of Sinn Féin and then they might appreciate us more.” I hate that attitude because that means people having to suffer and I don’t want to see that.’