Independent Alliance demands increase in free votes

The Independent Alliance is demanding more free votes within Government if Leo Varadkar is to secure its members’ votes to become taoiseach next Tuesday.

The group consists of ministers Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, John Halligan, and Kevin Boxer Moran, along with whip Sean Canney. They met with Mr Varadkar in Government Buildings last night to discuss their agenda.

The group is insisting it is not prepared to depart from the programme for government, despite Mr Varadkar’s call to merge the universal social charge with PRSI.