Varadkar likens Fianna Fáil to ‘predators’ at presidential dinner

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has likened Fianna Fáil to “predators” during a speech at the annual Fine Gael presidential dinner on Saturday night.

“During the week, the leader of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, announced his great plan on Twitter to repopulate rural Ireland. But not with people, with wolves.

“I would have thought the Greens’ experience of being in government with Fianna Fáil would have warned them off predators who should be extinct.”

Mr Varadkar also said it would be his last presidential dinner before the next general election, regardless of Brexit’s final outcome.

Brexit: Taoiseach believes deal can be agreed and is set to meet Johnson

---

Free transport and USC near-abolition called for by People Before Profit

---

Simon Coveney hopes for ‘serious’ Brexit proposals from British

---

Direct provision centres operating in ‘reasonably settled way’

---

“By the time of the general election we will have secured a Brexit deal or, if not, will have guided the country through the worst of no-deal.”

He said he was sure Fine Gael would win that election although this will “not become apparent until the last week or ten days of the election campaign.”

“Opinion polls show that we are neck and neck and in the fight of our lives to lead the next Government. I know that we will.”