Varadkar says no-confidence motion will be defeated by 'significant margin'

A freshly tabled vote of no confidence in the government is to be submitted by the Labour Party for next week

Leo Varadkar also denied any special deals were done with independent TDs in the Dáil to secure support in Wednesday’s series of votes on the eviction ban. Picture: AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

The Taoiseach has said a no-confidence vote on the Government will be defeated by "significant margin" next week.

Leo Varadkar also denied any special deals were done with independent TDs in the Dáil to secure support in Wednesday’s series of votes on the eviction ban.

“Certainly not in relation to the vote”, said Mr Varadkar as he arrived at an EU summit in Brussels.

He was responding to questions of whether there had been political horse-trading over constituencies in exchange for votes for the government’s positions.

Seven independent TDs supported the government while Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan voted against her coalition colleagues and was subsequently suspended from her parliamentary party.

In the final vote on Wednesday, the Government won by 83-68.

However, opposition to the government’s plan to overturn a ban on evictions from social housing in order to free up desperately needed units is set to remain.

Mr Varadkar said he is yet to start negotiations with other parties over a freshly tabled vote of no confidence in the government to be submitted by the Labour Party for next week.

“Does anyone really think an election in four weeks is going to solve any of our problems? I don’t think so,” the Taoiseach told reporters in Brussels.

“It will be defeated and defeated by a significant margin. It is largely political theatre."

Meanwhile, Westminster’s vote to approve the 'Windsor Framework' for newly agreed changes to the post-Brexit situation in Northern Ireland was branded “very welcome” by Mr Varadkar.

But with the DUP refusing to support the motion, the return of a functioning devolved government in Stormont still looks far off.

“I don’t think all is lost yet,” said the Taoiseach. Pressed on whether he thought the idea of a greater role for Dublin could be on the horizon, he insisted it’s “premature to be talking about anything like direct rule". 

The government says it will continue to engage with the five major parties in Northern Ireland and with the UK government to find a solution.

Mr Varadkar is meeting with all 27 leaders of the European Union for a two-day summit in Brussels where they are also discussing ammunition supplies for Ukraine, migration into the EU and the current economic situation facing the single currency euro area.