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Updated 6.30pm
MINISTER FOR SOCIAL Protection, Leo Varadkar, has issued a statement this evening urging Taoiseach Enda Kenny to address the current leadership situation of Fine Gael.
He said that, although he has “full confidence” in Kenny to settle the issue, everyone was waiting to hear him have his say on if, and when, he will step down as Taoiseach and leader of the party.
He said: “Everyone is waiting to hear from the Taoiseach.
The current situation is distracting and destabilising for the government, the party and the country. I have full confidence in the Taoiseach to settle it.
Earlier today, Fine Gael’s Chief Whip said that she can “categorically guarantee” that there’s no orchestrated campaign to unseat Enda Kenny and replace him with a new leader.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Saturday with Claire Byrne, Regina Doherty called for Kenny to be given respect “as a human being” to make his own decision regarding his future.
“He has done a tremendous amount for us in Fine Gael and just for that, if for no other reason, he deserves the due respect and regard to give him the bit of space to talk to his friends and his family to make decisions himself,” Doherty said.
“This man is an inherently decent man,” the Meath East TD added.
“At the very least have respect for him as a human being, let him go home to his family, his loved ones, his friends and close colleagues to have a conversation.”
The ongoing debate about Kenny’s future comes after his some party TDs have begun calling publicly for him to step down.
Alan Farrell TD yesterday called Kenny’s position “untenable” but Doherty said she was opposed to TDs putting ultimatums on front of the party leader.
“Don’t start this second guessing business or this even blackmailing business because it’s unedifying and actually we’re better than that,” she said.
In a move that was seen by many as a starting gun in the leadership contest, senior ministers Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney told the Fine Gael parliamentary party this week that members need to be prepared for an election should one arise.
Doherty denied, however, that she’s seen any evidence that either man is eager to begin the contest proper.
“From my interactions none of the declared, even though there are none declared, but the obvious candidates. They are not impatient in the sense of drawing them or putting markers down for next Wednesday,” she said.
Responding to reports that Varadkar was behind moves to have other TDs withdraw support for Kenny, Doherty says nothing so organised is taking place.
“There is no orchestrated campaign kicked off yet, I can absolutely categorically guarantee that. It hasn’t, I have not witnessed it.”
There may be people cuddled in corners, I had lunch with four people the other day and we laughed about saying we’ll get a bad name for sitting at this table. It’s at that level.
With reporting from Sean Murray
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Average working week is 30 hours? Where can I find a job like that and survive? Working 4 days a week is a pipe dream. Companies are too greedy today and will always find some way to benefit themselves before employees
@Doni Kehoe: Nowhere does the author mention working 30 hour weeks in conjunction with survivability. And it is an average, which includes the college student working 16 hours at weekends, the semi-retired consultant working 5-10 hours per week on select jobs as well as the factory worker on 45 hours, the doctor on 55 hours and the office worker on 42 hours. Gone are the days of 80 hours down the coal mines.
Yeah let’s tell Leo that and see how far we get. The majority of the country works a 5 sometimes 6 day week and not by choice in some cases on 6. I’d be all for a 4 day week though. Think of all the retail staff who will be dragged in all over the holiday season by their scrooge management.
We already have people working 4 days a week in our place. It seems to be working out really great for them. They have more time to spend with their families on a Monday after they ring in sick!!! #Weekendbender #premierleaguesunday
@Philip: exactly the point of reduced working hours. More productivity and less waste when people are given flexibility and treated as people rather than objects of industry.
My trouble is that the only people I know who managed a four day week – undoubtedly a great way to go – did it by working flat out for those four days, and evenings, so were exhausted by day five.
Also to be considered is the necessity
for ” unions” with their totally outdated structures.
@Bill ORourke: if unions are outdated so are businesses. They’re an essential part of making capitalism work for the worker
Wait til the environment is totally banjoed and then we won’t have to work at all….coz we’ll be dead.
Have a nice day..
No work? Woohooooo…..bring it on :)
@Aunties:
It’s impossible to build a society like ours on a planet and not impact it negatively. Just enjoy it while you have it. You were always gonna die sometime anyway.
@Aunties: banjoed
@Nollaig Elliot: impossible with the likes of you. Sweet dreams
To implement a 30 hour week would need everyone to join a union and a nation wide strike.
@Sean Conway: let’s get on that so
I do three and still pack in five days worth. Efficiency.
@Earl of Daventry: For most bosses that means you have another 2 days of that efficiency you could be doing for them.
Stop firms making working at an office would be a good start. It’s iniquitous that in this day and age that a non-customer facing role should not be done from home, ESPECIALLY in IT!
My self and my husband work 5 full days + 2 hours on Sat and Sun.
Partly economic necessity and also because of scarcity of staff.
Fantastic article raising many points worth considering.
I do 5 days or 60 hours and then 2 days or 24 hours the next week. Changes from days to nights every 2 week cycle. Leaves you wrecked most of the time.
try 7 days a week. that’s my job. I’m not complaining about it except the pay isn’t good enough but I’d be happy with 5 if I could afford it. 4 children. preparing 2 for college. hi ho hi ho…..
You can be sure that there will be unscrupulous employers will want to ensure that they take 10 hours of pay away if a 30 hour week ever comes in
have your say