Independent Alliance says it wants more free votes as it meets Varadkar

The Independent Alliance has said it wants more free votes in the Dáil, as well as a commitment that the Universal Social Charge will be phased out, before it votes for Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach next week.

It also want the delivery of promises outlined in the Programme for Government to be accelerated. The five members of the Independent Alliance - Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Sean Canney and John Halligan - are meeting Mr Varadkar in Government Buildings on Tuesday evening.

During the Fine Gael leadership contest, Mr Varadkar said he wanted to merge the USC with PRSI to create a new system of social insurance. This will likely be a policy for the next Fine Gael manifesto.

The Programme for Government commits to phasing out the USC, and the Alliance wants this adhered to.

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Mr Ross, the Minister for Transport, said free votes should be granted on “issues which are not in the Programme for Government and have not been binding under Cabinet responsibility”.

“A lot of issues come up, from time to time, which are not in the Programme for Government and what we want to establish is where the line is drawn, whether everything outside the Programme for Government is a free vote or is it not,” he said. “We have had difficulties with issues of conscience in the past and we don’t want them repeated.

“We’d like to see free votes on as many issues as possible. That’s our ethos.” Mr Ross also said the concerns of the Independent Alliance are more important than any that will be outlined by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin when he meets Mr Varadkar tomorrow.

The confidence and supply agreement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael commits Mr Martin’s party to abstaining on the Dáil vote for Taoiseach, which is due next week.

“Our issues are obviously far more important to us than the Fianna Fáil issues,” Mr Ross said. “On Tuesday, we are going to vote for Leo Varadkar for Taoiseach, provided we see that they get priority we think they deserve.”

Future plans

Earlier Taoiseach Enda Kenny declined to comment on his future plans as the Government prepares to confirm a new Taoiseach.

Speaking on the second day of his two-day trip to Chicago, his final visit to the United States, he said that his intention is to “stay as a deputy until the government is dissolved.”

Mr Varadkar is expected to be elected taoiseach when the House resumes on Tuesday, June 13th.

“Obviously I will have discussions with Leo Varadkar when I return to Ireland.”

“I’m very happy myself both personally as a citizen and a politician who happens to be the Taoiseach to move the responsibility onto the next generation and let them stand up to the mark and continue to move it forward. The foundations are very strong.”

Asked if he had any advice to his successor Mr Varadkar he quoted the text the late Seamus Heaney sent to his wife before he died. “Noli timera- do not be afraid.”

He said he hoped that the Government should “get on with the business of moving the country forward.”

The new structure of government has “no time to waste,” he said. “They should not be afraid of the challenges that lay ahead and every action that should be taken should be taken in the interests fully and solely or the Irish people.”

Simon Harris

On Tuesday Minister for Housing Simon Coveney urged Mr Varadkar not to drop Simon Harris from Cabinet.

Mr Coveney said he had made that position “very clear” to Mr Varadkar, he told 96FM . The Minister, who was defeated in the Fine Gael leadership contest, insisted there was a need to unify the party, not divide it.

He said: “People who supported me should not be in anyway damaged by that in terms of their careers. Simon Harris is a very talented guy and a very able communicator. He is only 30 years of age and has a huge contribution to make to politics.

“So I would hope and expect that he will be part of Leo’s plans.”

The Minister for Health was the only Cabinet Minister to support Mr Coveney during the Fine Gael contest.

A handful of Mr Varadkar’s supporters have urged the new Fine Gael leader to demote him.

Mr Coveney met Mr Varadkar on Saturday for an hour and a half to discuss the future of the party.

The two Ministers have also spoken by phone and are due to meet later this week.

Asked what position in Cabinet he was seeking, Mr Coveney said he would be happy to remain in the Department of Housing.

The Cork South Central TD had begun a body of work and had not finished that discussion.

However if there was another Department which needed energy, focus and good ideas, Mr Coveney said he would be willing to accept a move.

This is being read by some as a willingness to move to the Department of Justice if requested by Mr Varadkar.

The Minister also refused to deny he was in discussions with Mr Varadkar about becoming Tánaiste.

Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar is to meet with the Independent Alliance this evening ahead of a Dáil vote next week.

The Fine Gael leader is expected to outline his priorities to the Independent Ministers.

The Alliance will request an acceleration of their key demands in Government including the re-opening of Stepaside Garda station, the opening of a cystic fibrosis unit and accident and emergency Department at Beaumont Hospital.

The Ministers will seek an assurance that legislation to automatically ban drink drivers will be passed.