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FORMER TAOISEACH LEO Varadkar has said that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are “rapidly becoming sister parties” and another Dáil term of rotating Taoisigh is on the cards.
The two parties are not “vastly different”, he says, despite small policy disagreements.
Varadkar told RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Show that it is unlikely they would merge as they may end up as a larger party but with fewer seats.
“We’re together now nearly nine years, and I think there’s a very good chance after the next election that you can see another coalition led by Fine Gael and possibly another rotation.”
He said his party is “a bit more committed to European integration” and was quicker to support PESCO, a common security and defence initiative.
Fine Gael also “would be more enthusiastic about reducing income tax” than Fianna Fáil, and would “push home ownership more strongly than social housing”.
“But the differences are not huge,” Varadkar continued. He said, however, that he doesn’t see a merger happening “in the foreseeable future” due to the policy and “personality” differences.
“Sometimes when you add two parties together, what you get at the end of that is actually a bigger party that’s smaller, if that makes sense. We saw that before with Labour and the Democratic Left.”
Varadkar this week announced he will not stand in the next general election, after stepping down as Taoiseach and party leader earlier this year.
He said he doesn’t “know for sure” what his next move is, but he has had “a number of interesting offers” he just hasn’t be able to explore while serving as a TD for Dublin West.
“I don’t want to give any details or break any confidence,” he said.
“I don’t have anything lined up. I haven’t written a CV yet or done any interviews.”
Varadkar said there “may well be more” Fine Gael TDs who will not run again, but he doesn’t think it’ll be many.
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Nothing put pride in and respect for those serving, stay save
@Terry Brophy: I agree with you
@Terry Brophy: unsung hero’s!!!
I served there during the last invasion of Lebanon and us Irish lads did slow down the progress of the IDF which madly frustrated them
@Paul1st: of course you did.
The UN peace keeping missions are a great idea, unfortunately the UN do not offer proper support or mandate to actually enforce the peacekeeping. From people I’ve known who have come back from the Lebanon the Irish are doing a great job under terrible conditions. It is very frustrating for the soldiers not to be allowed or equipped to actually enforce the their mission.
@R kelly: UN forces have behaved impeccably in the face of Israeli aggression. They must stay and observe. Israel doesn’t want to world to know what they’re doing. The most immoral army on Earth.
@Anthony Curran: really ? Have the Israelis been firing 1000s of rockets at villages in the last year ? Or was it Hezbollah ? No doubt what side you are on
@frank dowling: The side of humanity. Any idea why Hezbollah were firing those rockets Frank? Answers on a postcard to genocide competition……
@Anthony Curran: genocide … yawn. It’s a war. Tell us why Hezbollah are firing rockets yourself so. You don’t have to give me any history lessons.
Just tell me why Hezbollah are firing rockets at Israël if they don’t want war, death, destruction, martyrs, mayhem and ultimately the end of the western way of life
@Anthony Curran: I agree with you, the Irish army are behaving bravely and professionally… but I know it can be very frustrating for the men and women observing the horrible behaviour of the IDF without the power, equipment or mandate to actually intervene…I know from people who have served, that the IDF just ignore the Irish/UN checkpoints… and do what they like
@R kelly: so you’re saying there’s not much point in them being there ?
I think though that you are being disingenuous.
@R kelly: Zionism: Being indoctrinated from childhood that you’re God’s chosen people and this land is your land, even though you have no ancestral link to it.
@offside again: The western way of life? Would that be the same western way of life that told us Saddam had WMDs? The same western way of life that slaughtered 1 million Iraqis? The same western way of life that lookss the other way when the Netanyahu regime is blowing little kids to pieces? Some way of life.
@frank dowling: Their is history to the place in case you don’t know or maybe don’t want to know long long before Hezbollah ever came into existence, go educate yourself on the history between the Israeli state and the Palestinian people with the blinkers removed of course.
@frank dowling: no they have just been aiming at hospitals, journalists and medical workers
@frank dowling: The BBC produced a very clear barchart for comparison which can be googled as I can’t post it here. It illustrate s the ratio of rocket fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanon. It averages out at 80:20 . With the exception of Oct 8 the only day that Hezbollah fired more rockets. Israel has been firing ,every day, 4 times as many rockets as Hezbollah has fired. As always, Israel like to pretend they are the innocent victims but in reality they just don’t like it when people defend themselves.
@offside again: The Jewish people want the western way of life?
Or just the Jewish way?
Professional soldiers doing the job professionally!
@J B: Quiet down, you wouldn’t have it in you and clearly know fk all about service! What is it with people like you and your pathological need to drag everyone down?
@J B: I find it hard to believe an ex-er would be such a dck when referring to those who serve.
@J B: you’d cack a load in your jocks if someone let off a fire cracker beside you let alone do a tour of duty in Lebanon. I’m not in the Defence Forces I tried for the Navy many years ago but was ruled out due to being colour blind. But big respect to all the Defence forces on active duty.
@J B: any body who knows anything about the middle East will disregard your remark.Not every body is as shallow as you.
@J B: maybe you were. Many choose that career for other reasons and you know it.
Well done lads fair play
Why is Ireland getting involved with what’s going on over there? It’s nothing to do with us.
@Daniel Skelton: supposed to be keeping the peace which there doesn’t seem to be much of.
@Daniel Skelton: we? Sure you’re about as Irish as Che Guevara.
@Daniel Skelton: Irish Defence Forces in Lebanon for decades. They are loved by the Lebanese people. This not the first time the Israelis have attacked areas protected by Irish Forces. In past they even occupied a school that was been shelled to get Israelis to stop.
@Daniel Skelton: no?
@Daniel Skelton: I don’t know Dan. Maybe because the correct thing to do is to keep our brave UN peacekeepers on the border with Israel in order to help prevent the Netanyahu regime doing in south Lebanon what they’ve done in Gaza.
@mcleixlip: small fact Che Guevara had Irish ancestry because his father was Irish, Che Guevara full name was Ernesto Guevara Lynch.
@Nemethon: how did ‘lynching’ become a saying ?
@offside again: the Mayor of Galway, a Lynch by name, hung his son for murder in 1493. See here; https://www.visitgalway.ie/explore/heritage-and-history/historic-buildings-and-places/lynch-memorial-window/
Who will rebuild the damaged UNIFIL compounds and equipment? Who will rebuild damaged buildings and infrastructure in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon?
Sanctions and boycott Israeli goods and services as they are not fighting a war there are annihilating populations.
At the moment there is no peace to protect, so why stay there in danger for what? Whenever peace is agreed there UN go back in and help to maintain it, the Irish soldiers there are the best but what can they do this brutal war?
What’s the point of our brave men being at risk if they aren’t capable of implementing article 1701 .. the Arab terrorists are walking all over them
@frank dowling: Are the Arabs firing at UN positions? Or is it those bastions of morality, the IDF?
Lebanon is being systematically destroyed by the Israelis, therefore the premise that the UN are keeping the peace is absolutely laughable. Get the Irish soldiers home before they get caught up in the mass genocide being carried out by the IDF.
@Mike Dunne: By being in Lebanon the UNIFIL troops are impeding the IDF from total annexation of the territory. They have fired on the UNIFIL cameras as they don’t want evidence of their war crimes. They are absolute savages, not soldiers.
@Con Cussed: No, the only thing they do is protecting terrorists. That’s the goal of the UN.
They shouldn’t be here. Totally useless, like the Irish military.
Why are they there again?
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