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LAST UPDATE | 25 Feb 2020
TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin say they will meet again after discussing the possible formation of a new government this afternoon.
Separately, representatives from Sinn Féin and the Green Party discussed various policy issues for seven and a half hours today in talks.
From all sides, what was discussed centred on central issues such as housing, health and climate change.
Speaking to reporters at Leinster House, Martin said he told Varadkar there is a “need to put a government together” to deal with the “urgent issues” people voted on.
However, he said it was unlikely there will be a government in place by the time the Dáil sits again next week.
The Fianna Fáil leader said any government formed would have to be done so on “mutual respect” with all parties involved.
“I said to the Taoiseach we have a mandate to engage with his party and the Greens, and with independents, Soc Dems and others,” he said. “People want action that brings about real change and real progress.
We have an obligation to try to meet the public’s demand on those issues.
In a statement following their meeting, Fine Gael announced that the pair exchanged views on a number of issues, including housing, climate change, health, cost of living, the economy, and taxation.
The statement also said that both sides agreed to meet again at an unspecified point in the future, but added that Fine Gael would continue to prepare to become part of the opposition in the 33rd Dáil.
It also said Varadkar encouraged Fianna Fáil to continue engaging with other parties with a view to forming a government.
It follows similar comments by him since this month’s election, including yesterday, when the Taoiseach said his party’s first preference was still to go into opposition despite meeting with other parties for “exploratory talks” this week.
Varadkar said his party will only go into a minority government as a “last resort” and insisted yesterday that his position on this has not changed.
Sinn Féin talks
Addressing reporters following discussions with the Greens, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said there was a need to “inject urgency into this process” of forming the next government.
“While parties are deciding not to talk to each other – as some have taken that position – we still have the serious challenges and the crises that we have in health, housing and climate change,” he said.
It also isn’t simple. We need to bring together the aspiration and the division that a number of parties and independents have together in a coherent and stable form… I think with political will significant progress can be done in relation to finding that common ground.
He said that when the Dáil sits next week – 5 March – it would be a “staging post” for further discussions in future.
Doherty expects Sinn Féin to meet with the Green Party next week with further meetings after that.
With reporting from Stephen McDermott
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Tailored shorts should be no issue in the workplace.
@Peter Cavey:
As Monty Python sang: “I’m a lumberjack…..”
@Peter Cavey: oooowww, taaailored shorts!
@Peter Cavey: yes, fine if you’re working from home.
Bizarre in 2019 that so many are still in favour of forcing people to wear certain kinds of clothing despite knowing it’s making them uncomfortable.
@Rochelle: Shorts fine outdoors, not indoor working. If it’s uncomfortable, change job.
@Niall O’Neill: Why on earth do you even care?
@Rochelle: Can I go to work in a mankini? What’s comfortable for me may not be comfortable for those around me.
@Conall: If shorts on someone else makes you uncomfortable though, yer a bit sensitive.
@Conall: it’s shorts we’re talking about…. SHORTS
@Conall: Do you really think a man wearing shorts is some kind of radical statement? This is hilarious!
@Niall O’Neill: can I wear a skirt or dress instead?
@Shawn O’Ceallaghan: depends on what your legs look like and if you’re wearing flats or heels.
@Niall O’Neill: if your that sensitive maybe you should change jobs
@Niall O’Neill: Lol! So Irish, still horrified by the world without constant rain.
@Niall O’Neill: ah cmon a pair of shorts is no harm at alll
If you cant wear it into a meeting then don’t wear it to work. Can you imagine you go in and all of a sudden a top boss calls you into a board meeting to give your view on something. Here you are looking like you heading to the beach in Barcelona.
@Arya: What? How does this look like you’re going to the beach https://pin.it/7pwrac4zg37u25
@Arya: in my experience, men in expensive suits are no more likely to display intelligence than those in shorts. Take Richard Branson for example. It’s the content of the message that counts not the package that delivers it. That said, I do accept that there is a certain expectation regarding dress code but maybe it’s time to move forward?
@Paul Shepherd: Branson’s a ballix
@Ryan: Board shorts for the board room. Perfectly cromulent attire.
@Ryan: Correction Branson’s a rich ballix.
@Arya: WTF has that got to do with your ability to do the job ???? All this best foot forward stiff upper lip BS. As long as they look respectable it stupid to make them an issue
@Arya: have you seen the way some td’s dress. Someone in smart shorts would look alot better.
@Paul Shepherd: I’ve found the opposite. I found men in suits are not as intelligent as the guy in shorts in a heatwave.
@Ian Breathnach: they look like two saps, so that’s a NO, for work.
it’s acceptable for women to have bare legs when wearing skirts, why not men?
As long as they aren’t hot pants
@Michael Byrne: nobody wants a bit of ball scrag popping out to say hello when Barry is giving his forecasts for the year ahead.
@Bruce Van der Gutschmitzer: Barry is in a mankini.
@Michael Byrne: who loves short shorts? I love short shorts?
@Leadóg: no hiding there
Shorts – are they suitable for work? Do you for mean men and women? If yes then how could shorts be unsuitable if skirts are? I have a half memory of men in some job abroad starting to wear skirts because they were allowed in the uniform code and shorts were not. Then there the issue of short skirts and short shorts but that’s for another day.
@Phil O’ Meara: Train drivers and conductors in Stockholm. I teach in Stockholm, and had that “strike” in mind when I was told I couldn’t wear shorts and it was 32 degrees. I told them I’d come in the next hot day in a dress. They weren’t willing to risk it, and they were right not to.
The whole shorts/skirt debate I get but I guess historically, women weren’t allowed wear trousers to work at one point and had to wear a skirt, so it’s perceived as “dressy”.
Generally, if a woman is wearing a skirt to work, she has it dressed up with a top or blouse and a pair of shoes. She isn’t going to be wearing a tshirt or football jersey and runners, which is kind of what you imagine when you think of shorts on men. So if they want to wear shorts, they’d have to wear sensible suit style shorts and shoes in the same way a woman dresses up a skirt.
Personally, I want to wear neither, quite happy in my jeans
@JC: how historical do you want to go back? Women have been wearing trousers in work for over half a century. Further back men were high heels. Time has moved on
@Craic_a_tower: I never said I agreed, I said that is probably where the perception came from. At no point were shorts something men would traditionally wear to work. Traditionally shorts were what little boys wore until they grew up and could get into long trousers
@JC: Jeans are not work attire either unless you work on a building site.. Maybe okay on casual day but that’s about it.
@Gerry O’Sullivan: I’m currently in an office in my jeans. And I’m in the financial software industry.
Sure I’ll wear a suit / business outfit if I’m meeting a client but normally it’s denims, boots and a tee shirt with a movie quote.
Would ya ever feck off with your building site nonsense.
@Gerry O’Sullivan: I work in IT – I’m not going to ask my staff to come in suited and booted to crawl under peoples manky desks to replace cables and whatnot.
@JC: 25 years ago I was working in the USA in an office and wore shorts. I was by no means the exception and it was a very large international company. As for wearing jeans pretty much every company I have worked for has no issue. The one place that had a strict dress code was the most lowly skilled office job that had no dealings with the public. What was worse was the men’s dress policy was 4 times larger. Ridiculous stuff like no print pattern ties.
@Craic_a_tower: again “traditionally”. Great that you could wear shorts in the USA but there are a lot of company’s who are very stuffy about their dress policy so don’t think that would be the norm in Ireland.
Personally, unless its a public customer facing role, I couldn’t give a f*ck what someone was wearing. Someone wearing a suit & tie isn’t going to do more work than someone in jeans and a tshirt. In fact, if the latter is more comfortable to someone, that would probably result in better work output.
I’m currently wearing shorts in work so I hope so!
@Dave Byrne: Are you a lifeguard by any chance,ok, two more guesses…..are you a boxer,no, ok , do you work for a shorts company…..I give up, no, do you own the company….any vacancies in this weather.
@Dave Byrne: I hope you’re not on the phone in goal…
@Honeybee: He’s a center forward for Liverpool so it’s ok.
Of course they’re suitable.
If woman can wear skirts (and I suspect no one would bat an eyelid at tailored capris / shorts) than i can’t imagine anyone complaining about men wearing tailored shorts would have a leg to stand on ;)
But then I’d have zero issue if they chose to wear a skirt either. Or a kilt. As long as it’s respectable (of that’s the office you have) wear whatever you damn well please.
All that being said, the minute you move into Client facing situations you might wanna revisit that :)
@Tricia G: Everybody seems to be equating men wearing shorts with women wearing skirts, but is that really equivalent? Would women wearing shorts be equivalent to wearing skirts? I’m not so sure.
@Squiddley Diddley: That’s why I specifically mentioned ” tailored capris / shorts”.
@Tricia G: Ok sorry. Personally I don’t care what people wear, I spend a lot of time in building sites where lumberjack shirts often talk more sense than suits and ties. Speaking of which I think men should abandon ties in warm weather.
@Squiddley Diddley: Ties make very little sense to me. They’re mainly decoration, a follow on from a previous age. Although they are more aesthetically pleasing than just a buttoned up shirt……
@Squiddley Diddley: ok let’s equate it men wearing sarongs then instead.
That evens it out.
Equality works both ways, weird and all as it may sound.
Women can wear skirts. So if you think that men can’t wear shorts, you’re an evil sexist monster!
@Greg Ward: men can wear skirts / bring our your inner Beckham
@Greg Ward: Would it be strange to see a woman at work in shorts? Just asking, don’t Have any opinion either way…
@Squiddley Diddley: Depends on the shorts. Capri shorts, no, short shorts, yeah, that would be a tad weird.
I think it’s acceptable to wear shorts in a job where you don’t have to interact with people outside of your office colleagues. In a job where you have to meet clients and business partners, then obviously first impression is important and you should present yourself in a respectable manner.
@will: Is dressing in a way that makes you sweaty, irritated and unable to focus being “respectful” to the customer?
Some people are far too hung up on the deception of professionalism rather than acting in a professional way.
I’m in UK at moment. So many guys in shorts, truly horrific mostly, great nobly knees, and it don’t stop at shorts, then its flip flops. A whole other issue.
@David J Warren:
Knobbly sorry
@David J Warren: No noble knees?
I am surprised Leo has not invited the government and TDs to attend work wearing shorts … would be remarkable photo opps too
The picture you’ve used to illustrate the article appears to be a gentleman working in a pair of pink boxers. He is unsurprisingly working alone.
The only strange thing I noticed was that he apparently has to wear a long-sleeved shirt with it. Maybe for video-conferencing? Personally I can’t stand pink, but each to their own. I have no issues with shorts. It’s hot enough out. Most of us commute. The more comfortably we can dress, the better.
For many men, wearing shorts would certainly kill of the risk of dating fellow employees … so that may be a good thing
Depends how much ya packing
@Davei:
That can be …….. augmented!
My lot are lucky I’ve any clothes on at all today!
Depends on the job I suppose. In general though many places have a professional dress code and you just have to follow it.
Depends on the shorts. If all the guys started turning up in my place wearing short shorts, I’m ringing in sick! And yes I’d have the same reaction if the women start doing it too!
It should be acceptable to wear anything. What one wears has no bearing whatsoever on how one performs.
Totally against this, don’t see why I should have to cover up and wear shorts.
Shorts and open-toe shoes are completely unacceptable in a work environment in my opinion.
Short answer?- …
Has no-one been to the Middle East and beyond, where long, light and loose clothes are traditional for men and women alike. Not just to dissipate heat and sweat but also as protection from the sun. Shorts might be a bit too casual for many businesses but those should have airconditioning. For others, they might be ok provided they’re not too short or painted on.
This poll discriminates against everyone who’s not a soft handed office worker.
Tis more acceptable to change your gender than your pant attire
Depends on your work. In office work, depends if you are front- or back office, if you have external visitors/seminars etc. In my view shorts are basically ok in everyday work. But dont greet a foreign delegation or pitch your gig in shorts.
Little difference between tailored shorts and a skirt above the knee. A dress policy doesn’t constitute professionalism, collective progressive attitude and culture do. Shorts are common practice across the world in warmer countries and, where safety and health (common sense) permit, I personally don’t have an issue.
As an Irishman who’s lived in Australia for 20 years, this is hilarious.
We are not allowed to wear shorts to work until temps are over 35C.
20C and you want to wear shorts to work??!!!
I’ve obviously acclimatised. I’m in a wooly jumper in 20C lol
He’ll yeah . Try work outdoors all day in that heat in long trousers. Not nice
You would need to be a lunatic to think shorts are inappropriate. Ability to do job is most important. Weird puritan dress codes have no basis in current society apart from PPE.
I think a plain coloured short that came to the knee should be allowed. Wouldn’t think the pink ones in the photo would be appropriate.
Would you ever get over yourselves? It’s 18 degrees out there and you’re talking about wearing shorts at work??
No problem women wearing sleeveless outfits. why men can wear smart casual shorts??
If people can were their cultural / religious clothing. Shorts are part of ours normal worn when hot. There was never a reason not to. Just like those whom wear cultural / religious clothing. There should not be a problem at all.
Not acceptable for men, acceptable for some wowen.
Sure if its ok for men to wear skirts why wouldn’t it be ok to wear shorts
My first answer is no way. But for the first time ever, the comments here have caused me to stop and think. If women can wear skirts, why can’t guys wear shorts?
I think it would be up to the “experts” in fashion and design to come up with an appropriate look of men’s shorts that would work in a corporate setting. What socks and shoes would they wear with it? What kind of shirt? Would it look professional? Maybe this will actually become a thing but at the moment I don’t know of any style of men’s shorts that would really work.
I work in construction and its not allow from a safety stand point
Short trousers for this warm weather YES
Just wear a skirt and identify as female for the day.
If women can have skirts and dresses then men can have shorts.
Iv worn a dress when I was told shorts weren’t allowed. My boss changed his mind after 2 hours
If women can have skirts and dresses then men can have shorts.
Iv worn a dress when I was told shorts weren’t allowed. My boss changed his mind after 2 hours
Normal shorts about knee length yes.. Them 3/4 length girly ones with the the no socks malarky no.
How about everyone goes naked? Problem solved.
Tis more acceptable to change your gender than your pant attire
37% at the time o read this are just bitter C***s
If women can have skirts and dresses then men can have shorts.
Iv worn a dress when I was told shorts weren’t allowed. My boss changed his mind after 2 hours
119 = 4% 96=5%
Something wrong here lads
Shorts fine. Flip flops feck off
If women can have skirts and dresses then men can have shorts.
Iv worn a dress when I was told shorts weren’t allowed. My boss changed his mind after 2 hours
have your say