Micheál Martin rules out backing Government in Dáil votes amid rumours of early election

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said there is “no question” of his party voting for the Government as requested by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Micheál Martin rules out backing Government in Dáil votes amid rumours of early election

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said there is “no question” of his party voting for the Government as requested by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

In a letter sent on December 23, Mr Varadkar called on his opposite number to have his party support the Government in some Dáil votes, to allow the Government conclude its business.

However, speaking today on Newstalk radio, Mr Martin made clear he will not change his approach despite Mr Varadkar's request.

It has been confirmed that the two leaders will meet on Thursday night to discuss the timing of an election and the possible continuation of the Confidence and Supply deal.

The meeting will take place in Dublin but the time and place has not yet been finalised and comes amid heightened speculation that an election is likely sooner rather than later.

Several Fine Gael ministers have said they believe a February election is now on the cards.

The Cabinet will hold a special meeting focusing on disability issues in Marino, Dublin, on Thursday. The venue is in the constituency of Finian McGrath, Minister of State for Disability Issues.

Fine Gael Ministers and Ministers of State will hold a meeting on Friday morning, followed by a gathering of the Fine Gael parliamentary party that afternoon.

Mr Varadkar has convened similar meetings previously at the start of Dáil sessions, but party TDs believe increasingly that he may call a February election. Some TDs and candidates were also last night sent templates for election canvass cards.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said that before an election is called, reform of the Local Property Tax is needed.

He said: "We will need to go ahead with a process of reform in relation to local property tax.

A key reason alone as to why we need to do is that as the number of homes that are being built across our country begins to go up, there will be an increasing number of homeowners that will not be paying local property tax, whereas their neighbours will be living in homes in which they are paying local property tax.

"So because of that, the local property base needs to be included, widened to include all homeowners within our country," he said.

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