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Former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter PA Archive/Press Association Images
sand in face
'It would be better' if Shatter cleared up severance pay issue by Friday, says Varadkar
The Minister for Transport said he didn’t want to kick a man while he was down.
Updated 11.15
THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Leo Varadkar said it would be better if Shatter “cleared up” the matter of his severance pay before the voters hit the ballot boxes on Friday.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Varadkar said that it be better for himself and for people running in the council in his constituency if it was dealt with soon.
Varadkar said that ultimately it was a matter for the former Minster for Justice as technically he is legally entitled to it.
Severance pay
He clarified that although severance pay was abolished it was never signed into law and that Shatter would be the last minister to receive it, if he accepted it.
Whether Shatter accepts the €70,000 is “up to him” said Varadkar, but said that as the legislation was passed and Shatter voted for it, “it would stand to reason that he wouldn’t take it”.
He said Shatter had resigned under difficult circumstances and he “didn’t want to kick him when he is down”.
“He has been through a very very rough time. I’m not the type of man that wants to throw sand in a mans face,” said Varadkar.
Polls
Speaking about the recent election polls he said that it had been a “very difficult time for government” saying that there had been a few “own goals” referencing to issues such as the Garda controversies, medical cards and water charges.
He said these are all matters turning up on the doorsteps of voters. He did say that he hoped their would be a change of attitude towards water charges “once people start seeing that water charges are a lot less than expected”.
He criticised parties who opposed “austerity” who are popular in the polls, saying it is no wonder why they are doing well as no one is in favour of austerity.
Varadkar said that opposing unpopular things was “not rocket science”.
When you are in government have to do what’s right not what’s popular.
- First published 11.12am
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