Varadkar seeks to extend Dáil deal with FF

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is using “backroom channels” to try to convince Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to extend the confidence and supply deal beyond October.

He has also told his ministers that relationships with Fianna Fáil frontbench members need to be minded in the months ahead when a deal will have to be finalised.

A source close to Mr Varadkar said: “What the Government is trying to ensure is that confidence and supply is honoured and to keep, through backroom channels, Fianna Fáil up to speed as to what is going on and that extends to ministers. Ministers have tried to mind their opposite numbers. It is not a diktat from Leo but he would have emphasised the need to do that from time to time as good housekeeping.”

Given Mr Varadkar’s current popularity and Fine Gael running at above 32% in various national opinion polls, it has been suggested he may consider pulling the plug and calling an early general election.

But over the weekend, Mr Varadkar’s camp has made it clear his preference is to extend the deal with Fianna Fáil and renegotiate the programme for government.

“There is a genuine attempt across government to get things done and, certainly since Leo came in, to implement the programme for government in a more meaningful way than before,” said the source. “An election is not the answer.”

However, such optimism is not shared across the top echelons of Fine Gael who suspect Mr Martin will not be able to extend the deal even if he wanted to because of internal strife within his own party.

“I am not sure Micheál will be able to get his party to extend confidence and supply even if he wants to,” said a source.

“He could find himself in a position of not being ready to go and he could find himself causing an election without being able to guarantee the outcome.”

Some within Fianna Fáil described Mr Varadkar’s overtures as “hilarious” and said they saw his speech to the Seanad, in which he spoke of a lost decade, as an attack on the party.

“It was prematurely righteous and certainly wasn’t humble,” said one party figure. “Talking about a lost decade is clearly a means of blaming us and boosting themselves.”

Mr Martin said yesterday that there are no guarantees for the Government or for Fianna Fáil’s support of it.

He said his party has the right to hold the Government to account but does not intend to “go pulling the rug” from under it at every opportunity.

Mr Martin also said that Fianna Fáil wants to see a second budget implemented, as per the agreement.

His finance spokesman, Michael McGrath, said the deal is “frustrating”. Fianna Fáil, he said, will stretch it to its very limits and demand greater progress on issues such as housing and health.