Varadkar ‘cosying up’ with potential coalition partners

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has begun reaching out to smaller parties in a move viewed as an effort to prepare the ground for a future rainbow coalition.

The Irish Examiner can confirm Mr Varadkar held one-to-one meetings with the leaders of Labour and the Greens in recent weeks, in a step described as a “general cosying up”.

Multiple sources confirmed the talks, sought by the Taoiseach, which included discussions on the aftermath of the local elections, political pacts, Brexit, and Government spending.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan told Mr Varadkar that his party was not ruling out working with Fine Gael. The meeting with Labour leader Brendan Howlin was viewed as a way to ensure October’s budget does not alienate any possible future support from that party.

Neither meeting saw any commitments or pact agreed. Rather, both The two meetings were described as an attempt by Mr Varadkar to “check in” after the local elections and discuss a talk on future issues. Nonetheless, sources in both the Opposition parties viewed Mr Varadkar’s move as a step to open up any future coalition talks involving either the Greens or Labour.

The move also comes after Fianna Fáil, the Greens, and Labour quickly formed alliances after May’s local elections at council level in several areas. A Behaviour and Attitudes poll at the weekend put Fianna Fáil on 30%, leading Fine Gael for a second month in a row.

A senior Labour source said: “He reached out. He wanted to talk to us, how we see the world and all that. It was a general cosying up.”

Both Mr Howlin and Mr Varadkar discussed Brexit, domestic politics, Government spending, and the public sector, sources confirmed.

Mr Ryan told the Taoiseach during their conversation at Government Buildings that the Greens are not ruling out doing business with Fine Gael in future. The two discussed climate change, the current political situation, and pacts at council level made after the local elections.

“There were no machinations. It was in part about keeping in touch in case something happens down the line,” said a Leinster House source familiar with that meeting.

Mr Varadkar has said he does not intend to call a general election this year but that it “may not” be his call.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, whose party’s support keeps the Fine Gael-led Government in power, last week said that holding a snap election in the coming months would be “irresponsible”.