Leo Varadkar is ‘considering the future of the Government’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is "considering the matter" of the future of the Government, his spokesman said last night, after Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin again rebuffed his request for talks on an extension of the confidence-and-supply agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Mr Varadkar published a letter yesterday that he had sent to Mr Martin last week arguing for an extension of the agreement and seeking immediate negotiations between the two parties.

As he did in July, however, Mr Martin said he would talk about a possible extension of the deal once the current arrangement – agreed to last for three budgets – had expired at the end of this year. He immediately published his reply to Mr Varadkar.

Talks between the two parties on this year’s budget – due to be delivered on October 9th – are to begin today.

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Micheál Martin criticises Varadkar's strategy on confidence-and-supply

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Where does Varadkar and Martin’s row leave us?

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National interest

Fine Gael Ministers yesterday echoed Mr Varadkar’s call for an extension to the agreement between the parties, saying it was in the national interest to provide stable government at a crucial point in the Brexit process.

However, Fianna Fáil responded by saying there was no threat to the stability of the Government from their party, as they would stick by the terms of the agreement.