LEO VARADKAR IS taking Leaders’ Questions for the first time as Taoiseach today.
Having just returned from his meeting with the UK Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday, the Taoiseach is in for a busy week.
First business today though is announcing his new junior ministers.
Leo Varadkar is just back from the UK where he made reference to this movie moment:
Read more about that here:
But today he is in the hot seat and about to get a grilling from the opposition for the first time as Taoiseach.
This should be interesting…
Micheal Martin is up first and he wants to talk about the appointment of the former Attorney General to the Court of Appeal.
He says he raised the matter during his speech last week and said the new Taoiseach had the opportunity to change politics.
He says this decision “slipped in at the last minute” at the meeting of the last Cabinet.
You decided with haste to appoint her yesterday, he tells Varadkar.
“You arrogantly dismissed the concerns of your Cabinet colleagues,” says Martin.
He says story in the papers isn’t true that he instructed President Michael D Higgins to affirm Whelan as soon as possible.
“No pressure was put on the president,” he says, adding that the process was lawful.
Varadkar says it is common place for judges to be confirmed by president, sometimes within days. He confirms that all expressions of interest from the three High Court judges were sent to the former Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald.
This, up to now, had been unclear.
He says it has never been the case that a short list was brought to Cabinet to consider.
Varadkar goes through other people that were appointed, for which Martin says Whelan “is no Frank Clarke”.
“You strain credibility when you put her in the same league,” adds Martin.
Varadkar says it is not a good thing that this House is discussing is competent to do the job. He says as he understood that FF was concerned with the process and not with the Whelan getting the role.
Gerry Adams is up next and he says FG are remaining in power because of FF.
“It is about sustaining the status quo,” he said.
Varadkar says that maybe standing orders should be amended so that SF and FF can question each other.
He said in due time this government will seek a mandate. He says SF also has a mandate when they were elected in the North and urges them to get that up and running.
It seems SF are very keen on elections, he says, but adds that they are not keen on being in government.
“This definitely not what I wanted to dominate my first week as Taoiseach,” says
He says the Judicial Appointments Bill is being prioritised and will make the change needed as he doesn’t want to see another controversy over judges appointments.
If this Dail has to sit into the summer, into July, than that will happen, he tells the chamber.
Adams now raising the issue of Hugh Grant dancing down the stairs, indicates he doesn’t think that is fitting for the first visit to Downing Street.
“I know deputy you did not like my reference to Love Actually yesterday,” says Varadkar.
“I haven’t been there as often as you have,” he adds.
He says he follows Adams and he is aware that Adams is a fan of Richard Curtis’ later works such as ‘About Time’.
He suggests it is “about time” SF get on with setting up the institutions in the North.
Howlin is now talking about the new payment that is needed to pay for the new super junior Mary Mitchell O’Connor.
She needs an extra 16,000Euro for the job. He asks if the additional money that has been paid to the former Chief Whip Regina Doherty will be recovered.
I am very pleased Mary Mitchell O’Connor remains at the Cabinet table.
Of course we will comply with the law if there has been an overpayment.
He says there will be an examination of payments.
He says there won’t be a prioritisation around payment for TDs.
Varadkar says any legislation introduced will be laws that matter for the people.
Galway-West TD has ducked out of the PAC to question the new Taoiseach.
She too wants to raise the issue of the appointment of the Attorney General.
Your contemptuous disregard for your colleagues and the people is alarming, she tells Varadkar.
Varadkar says the controversy about the process – but he says the correct procedure was followed.
He says new bill will outlaw canvassing of judges and will ensure the new board has a lay majority and a lay chair.
He says the bill is to be fast-tracked.
I hope I will have the support of this House and the Seanad.
Here we go…
He’s reminding people of who he put in Cabinet last week. On that note, do you know who’s who in the new Cabinet:
So we have it all here for you:
Leaders’ Questions has concluded. But Micheal Martin says he is not happy with the order of business for the day. He wants a proper debate on what happened.
Mick Barry from Solidarity-PBP says: “The government should not be able to get away with jobs for the boys and the girls without a proper debate.”
Mattie McGrath says Martin perhaps should have raised the issue of the Maire Whelan with FG beforehand stating that it is rich for them to be kicking up a fuss when they did the same thing when they were in government.
Martin is now calling Leo “arrogant”. Well, this has got off to a good start!
Varadkar says if he is continually interrupted for the next five years it’s going to be long.
They are now going back and forth with each other trying to decide about whether to debate the issue.
“I don’t think the public looking in would be overly impressed,” says the Ceann Comhairle.
Well, that’s it for Leo’s first Leaders’ Questions.
Poll: How do you think he got on?
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