Varadkar ‘absolutely sure’ he has confidence of Fine Gael as leader

The Taoiseach rejected the notion that Fine Gael has been 'drifting' under his stewardship

A number of newspaper articles over the weekend spoke of growing dissatisfaction with Mr Varadkar within Fine Gael. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says that he is confident in his leadership of Fine Gael.

A number of newspaper articles over the weekend spoke of growing dissatisfaction with Mr Varadkar within Fine Gael, though sources have said that no heave is imminent or even being discussed.

Speaking at the National Economic Dialogue in Dublin Castle today, Mr Varadkar said that he is "absolutely sure that he has the confidence of the vast majority" of the Fine Gael parliamentary party and has done for the last six years.

"The next election is ages away and I believe it's an election in which Fine Gael can get votes, can gain seats and if we do that, we may well be in a position to form another government. But that's not my focus at the moment. My focus is on building more houses and helping middle Ireland with the cost of living. 

"It's on standing up for farmers in rural Ireland. It's building safer, stronger communities and all the things that we're committed to as a government."

Mr Varadkar said that he rejected the notion that Fine Gael has been "drifting" under his stewardship.

"I think we're a party that has achieved so much in the past six years under my leadership, we've full employment for the second time in the history of the state with a budget surplus. We've high life expectancy because of the improvements in our health service and health outcomes notwithstanding the problems there with the best levels of educational attainment that we've seen a long time and childcare costs have fallen by 25%."

Two men who may look to replace Mr Varadkar, Ministers Simon Coveney and Simon Harris, each insisted that they are supportive of the Taoiseach. Both said that there is "no leadership issue in Fine Gael".

Mr Harris said he was not briefing against Mr Varadkar.

"We're working very closely together as a Fine Gael team and I think the priority has to be to focus on delivery, delivery, delivery. When I travel around the country that's absolutely the priority from people in this country. They want to see government continuing to get on with delivering."

Mr Coveney called on party colleagues to "sell the positives" of the party's time in government.

"Leo Varadkar is an extraordinarily talented politician. And he is giving very strong leadership at the moment. The evidence today in terms of the state of the Irish economy really is not in dispute, that the Irish economy is more resilient and stronger than it's ever been.

"I remember a time when I came into government, when we were being asked to actually find hundreds of millions of euros in cuts. That's the journey we've traveled.

"I would say to Fine Gael people, let's focus on the positive and let's start selling those positive messages that Fine Gael policy and government has delivered over the last decade. And if we do that, then I think the party's fortunes will improve."