Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty has described Fianna Fáil’s response Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s letter as “childish”. Under the confidence-and-supply arrangement, agreed between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil after the 2016 election, Fianna Fáil facilitates the Fine Gael-led minority Government by abstaining in Dáil votes including on the Budget every year. Fianna Fáil also agreed under the deal to vote against or abstain on any motions of no confidence in the Government. “Fianna Fáil doesn’t want an election, Fine Gael and the Independents don’t want an election, I don’t think the Irish people want an election. “It is a work programme of what we want to achieve between ourselves and Fianna Fáil in the next 12 - 18 months.

Source: The Irish Times September 05, 2018 08:03 UTC