A FURIOUS row between Leo Varadkar’s Government and opposition party Fianna Fáil could plunge Ireland into a general election.
The leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, is to table a motion of no confidence against the Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald. This will be debated next Wednesday, and could lead to the collapse of the Government — currently Fine Gael leads the minority government with the support of Fianna Fáil. A defeat for the Government could mean an early general election.
The full-blown political crisis comes in the wake of the so-called police whistleblower controversy. Ms Fitzgerald, the former justice minister, has been under increasing pressure over her handling of the case involving Garda Officer Maurice McCabe, a whistleblower on corruption within the Garda Síochána.
But a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting heard Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reaffirm his support for Ms Fitzgerald, amidst calls from opposition parties to sack her. Mr Varadkar said that he wouldn't be throwing his deputy "to the wolves".
A statement issued by Fine Gael said: “At a meeting in Leinster House tonight, the party heard from An Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar who said their colleague Minister Frances Fitzgerald was facing a trumped-up charge from the opposition,”
Sinn Féin has also tabled a no confidence vote, tabled for next Thursday.
