VARADKAR ADMITS FG-LABOUR “COMPETITIVE OUTRAGE” BEHIND OPPOSITION MOVE AGAINST CEANN COMHAIRLE

Not for the first time, a Fine Gael Deputy has exposed the glaring differences between his party and Labour, according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare, Timmy Dooley.

"Deputy Leo Varadkar's claim that Eamon Gilmore was "opportunistic".is another prime example of how far apart the two main Opposition parties are," Deputy Dooley added.

"The Fine Gael Deputy's frank admission that "competitive outrage" between the Opposition parties was at the heart of their actions against former Ceann Comhairle, John O'Donoghue, in the Dail last week should be a real eye-opener for the public."

"Far from being idealistic and acting in the public interest, as they claimed, they are now exposed for their naked political ambition."

Speaking on the Tonight with Vincent Browne programme last night (Tuesday), Deputy Varadkar said : ""We all know what the truth is here, notwithstanding what the Ceann Comhairle did -- the way he wasted public money."

"This was a case of competitive outrage. You had a statement from Enda Kenny at the weekend suggesting that he should make this statement at the committee on Wednesday. That then parked the issue until Wednesday. Then Sinn Fein came out calling for him to go. That then bounced Gilmore into doing what he did on the floor of the Dáil on Tuesday," Deputy Varadkar said."

He went on : "One thing that really annoys me about this whole episode -- and I will probably get into trouble for saying this but I think it needs to be said, -- is that Eamon Gilmore is probably going to emerge from this week as appearing as someone with leadership qualities."

"But if he had leadership qualities what he would have done that morning when he was at the SIPTU conference instead of reversing his position in favour of a new benchmarking process, he would have said to them for example, that in order to save jobs and protect public services some people might have to take a pay cut. He didn't do that. He reversed his position on benchmarking and then what he did in the Dáil was largely opportunistic and in my view designed to get political credit for him," Deputy Varadkar said.

Deputy Dooley said that only a few weeks ago, another Fine Gael Deputy, Lucinda Creighton, went on the Sunday Supplement programme on Today FM to accuse Labour TDs of "saying one thing in private and another in public" about public sector pay.

"Fine Gael TDs are to be commended for their candour and honesty in speaking out on Labour's real agenda. But these two parties have been claiming to have the cure for all the country's economic ills and want to go into Government together. This country is facing very difficult decisions to secure our future and the Government is going to take those decisions."

"Ireland could not afford to have two parties in Government like Fine Gael and Labour who are so far apart on key issues, " said Deputy Dooley.