Fine Gael insiders say Patrick O'Donovan is 'constantly criticising' Leo Varadkar

Sources in FG say the junior minister spends his lunch time in the Dáil bar 'constantly criticising' the Taoiseach's leadership

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Limerick County TD Patrick O'Donovan during a 2017 visit to Adare by Mr Varadkar. File picture: Brendan Gleeson

A number of Fine Gael politicians have said there is “growing indiscipline” within the party over negative comments being made about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s leadership.

Party members have said junior minister Patrick O’Donovan has been “very vocal” about Mr Varadkar in recent weeks following the latest opinion polls suggesting a drop in support for the party.

One politician said Mr O’Donovan spends his lunch time in the Dáil bar “constantly criticising” the Fine Gael leader.

“Patrick has said it to many of us that he totally blames the leader for the drop in support for the party,” they said.

He has gone as far as saying that the only solution to save the party is to change its leadership before the next general election.

A second source said Mr O’Donovan “is also going around saying the party will be lucky to win four seats in Munster in the next election". 

The Irish Examiner also understands members of Mr Varadkar’s backroom team are “furious” with Mr O’Donovan as, they say, he is “openly bitching” about the Fine Gael leader.

Another source said it is “common knowledge” Mr O’Donovan wants to see a change in leadership. “He is extremely critical and scathing on a weekly basis,” they added. 

“He has said it to numerous colleagues that there is a need to get rid of Leo before the next election. He isn’t getting much support on that though.”

Minister of State for the Office of Public Works Patrick O’Donovan with Rosemary Collier, OPW,  and Deputy Mayor of Co Cork Deirdre O’Brien at the official opening of the first floor of Doneraile Court in North Cork after its restoration. Picture: Clare Keogh

When contacted, Mr O’Donovan told the Irish Examiner that it was “mischievous gossip without foundation”.

“[I] don’t know what you’re referring to,” he said. “So unless there are names and on-the-record comments that these so-called people are attributing to me, I’d put it down as mischievous gossip without foundation.”

There is also “disquiet” within the party that Mr O’Donovan’s decision to ask his officials to write to President Michael D Higgins about housing refugees in Áras an Uachtaráin. 

Mr O’Donovan, who is minister of State for the Office of Public Works (OPW), said he was asking his officials to contact President Higgins after an interview in which he said that it was up to the OPW to decide if refugees would be housed in the Áras.

A senior Government source described it as an “unwise move”. 

The Fine Gael source added that they thought Mr O’Donovan should focus on the OPW’s role in getting modular homes built to help with the accommodation crisis facing refugees.

The first tranche was to open last November and has faced numerous delays with Ukrainian refugees not expected to move in until next month.