Varadkar says 'everyone makes errors in judgement' in wake of nightclub video
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Tanáiste Leo Varadkar has said everyone makes errors in judgement but he is confident he has the support of the Fine Gael party.
His comments come following reports there is unease within Fine Gael about recent controversies surrounding Mr Varadkar, including a video which has been circulating on social media of the Fine Gael leader socialising in a nightclub.
When asked if he has faith in his own judgement calls, Mr Varadkar said he did: “Everyone makes errors in judgement. You wouldn't be a human being if you didn't.”
He said he has had the privilege of being in the Dáil since 2007 and to have served in Government for almost 12 years.
He said: “I'm confident in my judgement.
“I am confident that I have the support of my parliamentary party and the other coalition partners in Government.
“That will be obviously decided on Saturday.
“Everyone makes errors in judgement. You wouldn't be a human being if you didn't.
“But I hope that when it has come to the big calls, whether it was the management of the pandemic, whether it was Brexit, whether it was managing the economy, that I've made the right decisions.”
Mr Varadkar, who is expected to become Taoiseach again on Saturday, said people can be “absolutely assured” he will give the job 100%.
He added: “There's nothing I will put ahead of the responsibilities of holding that office. I have held it before and I know what it takes. I'm committed to doing it again.”
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it was wrong that Tanáiste Leo Varadkar was filmed in the nightclub, and it was a breach of his privacy.
Mr Martin said he is not sure the degree of concern that has been suggested in one report is the case around Leinster House.
On the video of Mr Varadkar, the Taoiseach said: “I think first of all, Leo Varadkar’s life, my life, everyone's private life is their private life and I do not in any shape or form condone any breach of that privacy.
“And I think it's wrong, in my view, to be breaching that privacy in terms of taking, filming people in a social context.
“I think that's wrong, the breach of privacy that's involved there, and I'm not sure there's around Leinster House, the degree of concern that has been suggested.”
The Taoiseach also said a further analysis is needed of existing housing stock to see how the State can bring back some properties to the market.
He suggested broadening housing schemes to incentivise people to facilitate downsizing.
Mr Martin said this is already happening with some local authorities which have facilitated people to sell their houses back to local authorities and in turn have rented from local authorities for the rest of their lives.
He said: “That's the kind of innovative approach we probably need to see, that probably we don't see on a larger scale. I would like to see local authorities across the country taking on initiatives like that.”
He also said “everything is under review” when asked about support for builders but he would not be drawn on tax breaks for developers.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien will bring the Consolidated Planning Bill to Cabinet tomorrow which will see an overhaul of the planning system.
When asked if resident associations will be barred from taking a High Court action against planning decisions, Mr Martin said this is not in the major Planning bill but refers to an amendment to be brought forward by Mr O'Brien.
He said it will give exemptions to housing developments on public lands that are already zoned for housing.
The Taoiseach said the Government is making these developments exempt in terms of the planning system, because of the housing crisis adding: “We want to, in particular, accelerate rapid build housing on public lands or social and affordable.”
On the Planning Bill itself, Mr Martin said it will see a “simplification of planning".
County development plans will move from six to 10 years to give greater certainty and stability for the long-term planning of a given area, particularly major planned housing developments, he said.
There will be strict timelines for planning decisions at all levels, including on An Bord Pleanála.
“So if you put in your application, you should have an expectation and from now on, there'd be an obligation that you will have a decision within a timeframe and a new judicial cost system will also be introduced, parallel with what the Minister for Justice has announced already, the decision of government for the establishment of a planning and environmental court to speed up decisions in respect to traditional use,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
Mr Martin said he thinks Sinn Féin has questions to answer more broadly in terms of what he said is the “continued glorification” or justification of violence that has occurred in the past.
He said “we need to say to the younger generation, politics works...we never ever again want to see the gun in Irish politics.
“I think there is an onus on Sinn Féin to atone for what it did in the past across a whole range of areas.”
Mr Martin also said it is his objective to become Taoiseach again and said he has not given any consideration to becoming President of Ireland in the future.