Country braced for snap general election as Varadkar and Martin meeting concludes without resolution

The country remains braced for a snap general election as a much-anticipated meeting between Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin concluded without resolution.

The meeting took place as Mr Varadkar repeatedly failed to rule out a dissolution of the Dáil ahead of its scheduled return next Wednesday.

The two leaders agreed to consider what was raised and to meet again next week.

However, senior party sources said that neither party was prepared for an immediate withdrawal for fear of undermining progress in the Northern talks.

It is understood Mr Martin made clear that Fianna Fáil could not move beyond a position of abstaining on key votes, meaning leaving Mr Varadkar now to shore up numbers elsewhere if he is to avoid dissolution.

Following Mr Martin’s rebuff, Mr Varadkar now intends reaching out to his independent ministerial colleagues and Opposition independents as well as the Green Party in a bid to ensure he has the numbers to continue.

It is understood both sides feel there is more scoping work to be done following the meeting and there is a need to firm up what legislation could actually be passed in a new session, and what simply would be too divisive.

In a terse joint statement, the parties said:

“The two leaders had a constructive meeting. They discussed Dáil numbers and possible legislative proposals which could be passed in a further Dáil session. They agreed to consider matters further and to meet again next week.”

Mr Martin was spotted heading back toward his office in Leinster House shortly after 7pm along with his chef de cabinet, Deirdre Gillane, and both appeared to be in an upbeat mood.

The two leaders and their chief advisers met for about an hour.

It is believed both sides discussed the contents of the letters the two leaders sent each other before Christmas.

Mr Martin wrote seeking certainty on the general election date, stating a preference for an orderly wind-down of the Dáil in April.

In response, Mr Varadkar set out his own list of demands including requesting Mr Martin’s party support the Government in crucial votes if necessary to prevent the Government from collapsing. He also sought agreement with Fianna Fáil on property tax reforms, climate change legislation, and a new rural action plan.

Speaking before the meeting, Mr Varadkar said he believed he could continue in office but acknowledged the Dáil numbers were “very precarious”. However, he declined to answer on three occasions if the Dáil will reconvene on Wednesday after its Christmas recess. The Taoiseach said it was not a yes or no answer.

There has been intense speculation that Mr Varadkar is to exercise his prerogative and seek a dissolution before next Wednesday.

“The Cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday, the Dáil will be reconvened on Wednesday, and that is the position until such time as it may change,” he said.

Adding fuel to the snap election speculation, the Taoiseach has summonsed his parliamentary party to a special meeting in Dublin today, a highly unusual move.

But with Fianna Fáil ruling out supporting the Government, it would appear Mr Varadkar’s hopes of seeking support from other parties already appear to have been dashed.

Labour and the Greens have ruled out propping up the embattled Government to safeguard its control in the Dáil. The two parties have now backed calls for the Dáil to be dissolved and for a general election.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin said: “Everyone agrees that the lifespan of this Dáil has run its course and everybody is in election mode. So I think that the Taoiseach should accept that this Dáil has run its course, call a general election, and allow the people to put in place a government which will actually solve the issues that are of most concern to people, like housing and healthcare.”