‘Flaw’ for Martin to put Government’s life in hands of British vote

The prospect of tying the survival of the Government to a vote in the British House of Commons on a Brexit deal is a flawed idea, a senior Fine Gael Minister has said.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan called the proposal from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin that he and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would commit to not collapsing the Government until a Brexit deal is finalised a “temporary little arrangement”.

Mr Martin himself accused Mr Varadkar and others in Fine Gael of creating instability by keeping open the prospect of collapsing the Government.

Mr Varadkar and Mr Martin are due to meet this week on the future of the confidence and supply deal which underpins the Fine Gael-led minority government, and other issues.

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Mr Varadkar is sticking to his position that he and Mr Martin should agree an extension of the confidence and supply deal and fix the next general election for summer 2020.

Mr Martin has proposed that, notwithstanding confidence and supply negotiations, both should agree not to collapse the Government until the House of Commons and European Parliament vote on a Brexit withdrawal deal. This would guarantee the Government’s stability until March, although a number of Government sources said his offer is vague and unreliable.

‘Direct consequence’

Mr Flanagan, however, said: “There is a fundamental flaw in Micheál Martin’s argument when he says we should not have an election until a Brexit vote.

"By doing that, we really run the risk of conceding the idea that the Irish parliament and the Irish Government could fall as a direct consequence of a vote in the British parliament," he told RTÉ's This Week programme.

“I don’t think anyone wants that. I don’t think Micheál Martin and Fianna Fáil haven’t thought through the object of their exercise.”

We need to put the country before party politics, and I would think the Taoiseach is of the same opinion

Over the weekend, Mr Varadkar nominated Richard Bruton as the new Minister for Communications, replacing Denis Naughten, who resigned last week. Government Chief Whip Joe McHugh has been nominated as the new Minister for Education to replace Mr Bruton, with Sean Kyne taking up Mr McHugh’s position. Independent TD Sean Canney, who was already supporting the Government, will become a Minister of State, and Galway West TD Noel Grealish has formally declared his support for the Government. Tipperary TD Michael Lowry has also said he will support the Government.

‘Party politics’

Mr Canney said an election is not what is needed when there are many serious issues, such as Brexit, facing the country, and told The Irish Times he thinks Mr Varadkar shares his view.

“We need to put the country before party politics, and I would think the Taoiseach is of the same opinion,” he said.

Mr Martin said Brexit was “more serious than the interests of any individual or party”.

Mr Naughten’s departure from the Government has reduced the number of votes the Taoiseach can command in the Dáil to 55 – two short of a bare majority when Fianna Fáil abstains.

However, securing the support of Mr Grealish and Mr Lowry gives the Government a voting strength of 57, when the Independent Alliance and Katherine Zappone are included.

Mr Canney’s appointment will also be seen as copperfastening his support for the Government.