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Taoiseach not ruling out possible election next year

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is not ruling out the possibility of an election in 2019. ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

08.50 27 Dec 2018


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Taoiseach not ruling out possi...

Taoiseach not ruling out possible election next year

Newstalk
Newstalk

08.50 27 Dec 2018


Share this article


The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is not ruling out the possibility of an election in 2019.

That is despite Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil agreeing to extend the confidence and supply arrangement for another budget.

The leaders of both parties have said an extension was agreed due to the uncertainty posed by Brexit.

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This would see the next general election scheduled for early 2020.

The decision followed weeks of talks and a comprehensive review of the effects of the agreement.

Speaking in the Dáil earlier this month, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Ireland must retain a united Government while the chaos in Westminster continues.

"There is currently an overwhelming majority of MPs standing against the Withdrawal Agreement but there is no route to a majority for any alternative course of action.

"The only thing which is clear is that no one has the faintest idea what the course of Brexit will be in the coming weeks and months, and potentially for much longer than that."

He said Ireland is now "facing a major threat and great uncertainty" and insisted that the situation "poses a direct challenge to everyone in this House as to how we react."

"Business as usual is not acceptable," he said.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin | File photo

"Can we show our ability to put the national interest ahead of party interests?"

Mr Martin said his party is "determined that the political chaos we see in London will not be allowed to spread to Ireland."

"We simply do not believe that the national interest could in any way be served by taking up to four months during next year to schedule and hold an election campaign and then form a government," he said.

"This is why Fianna Fáil will extend a guarantee that government will be able to operate throughout 2019.

"This will allow the introduction of any emergency legislation and budgets, as well as the full end of year Budget and associated legislation.

"This will in turn allow the holding of an election early in the following year."

Mr Varadkar said it is one of the biggest challenges facing the confidence and supply agreement.

"We've agreed that there won't be an election given the uncertainty around Brexit and we'll try to negotiate another budget.

"There's always the possibility that we won't be able to negotiate that budget - but we've negotiated three and I'd be confident that we could negotiate four.

"My plan is to focus on getting the job done, on securing a withdrawal agreement.

"If we can't, managing the no-deal scenario, facing obviously into European and local elections in May and getting on with the business of Government.

"So I'm not making any plans to call an election".


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