Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Government Buildings earlier this month. Niall Carson/PA Images

Varadkar says bumper day of elections and referendums will be among 'busiest days in Irish politics'

The Taoiseach says 24 May will feature a range of different votes.

TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR is attempting to rouse his parliamentary party ahead of a busy period that he says will include “one of the busiest days in Irish politics in living memory”.

Varadkar says the government will hold a number of referendums on the same day as the local and European elections on 24 May.

The Taoiseach made the comments in a speech to his parliamentary colleagues in a Dublin hotel ahead of the return of the Dáil tomorrow.

In is address, Varadkar says that his party would be proposing the votes and “looking to win them”.

“Chairman, Friday 24 May – just over four months away – will be one of the busiest days in Irish politics in living memory. The people will be asked to go to the polls to vote to elect their local authority members, to elect MEPs, and to vote in referenda,” Varadkar stated.

In Cork City, Limerick and Waterford the people will also vote on whether they want a directly elected mayor to lead and represent those city regions and to work with central government to deliver on the ambition of Project Ireland 2040. Fine Gael will be proposing each of these referendums and plebiscites and looking to win them.

“Our objective in terms of the local and European elections is to be the largest party – both in terms of votes cast and seats won.”

A number of different referendums have been promised by the government but dates have not been set, among them a votes on the length of time before a couple can secure a divorce and one on the Constitutional reference to a woman’s place in the home.

Speaking about the prospect of a general election , Varadkar said there will be one “at some point in the next eighteen months” following the agreement reached between his party and Fianna Fáil.

“However as a minority government we must remember the words of Shakespeare and for all things be ready. We must be prepared for anything,” he added.

Five point plan

Varadkar also said that Brexit will be “the dominant theme of politics in the months ahead” and that the government will continue to “manage our way” through it.

The Taoiseach said that Brexit is among five separate issues that he said the government will “focus intensively on”.

The others he named were “safeguarding the economy, jobs, the public finances”, “proving the availability and affordability of housing”, “making it easier to access healthcare” and “ensuring that all parts of our country and all our citizens can share in our national prosperity”.

(Click here if video doesn’t play)

Varadkar also spoke extensively about climate change and described it as “a clear and present danger” that “is not acceptable”.

As part of Ireland’s efforts to fight this, Varadkar said that the government will introduce a carbon charge that will gradually increase between now and 2030.

“Sometimes when we mention a carbon tax, or a carbon charge, it is not clear to many people what we are talking about. It means a tax on coal, home heating oil, diesel, petrol and gas,” Varadkar said.

“Essentials for the vast majority of people and ones over which most people do not have much control.”

“We do not want to penalise people but encourage them to change their behaviour in the long-term. We want people to know what the tax will be in 2030 and how it will increase each year between now and then.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
83 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seosamh
    Favourite Seosamh
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:01 AM

    Big business are the only ones making serious money during this, small businesses fending for themselves.

    115
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Kelly
    Favourite Michael Kelly
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:07 AM

    @Seosamh: So you don’t welcome the creation of over 1000 jobs? And Aldi from what I know are decent employers. I see the same people working in my local one for years.

    304
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nioe
    Favourite Nioe
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:20 AM

    @Michael Kelly: they’re not creating jobs. People don’t eat twice as much food they just change where they buy. They are just taking market share from other irish shops, corner shops, markets etc which probably provide more jobs per euro spent.

    149
    See 8 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dobby Dooo Dooo
    Favourite Dobby Dooo Dooo
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:24 AM

    @Nioe: We all have a choice of where we shop. I do a supermarket shop and still support smaller local shops for meat, fish, newspaper etc. And the local shops in my area are always busy…

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jim Beatty
    Favourite Jim Beatty
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:40 AM

    @Nioe: nail on the head

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nioe
    Favourite Nioe
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 10:13 AM

    @Dobby Dooo Dooo: of course we choose where to shop. I have no issue with aldi or tesco or whoever. All I’m saying is that a certain amount of money is spent and certain number of people are employed in the grocery sector, which will rise with population. That does not jump overnight because a new shop opens, it just moves around with market share. It is not job or demand creation. It is market share expansion.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Earth Traveller
    Favourite Earth Traveller
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 11:41 AM

    @Nioe: There are other factors too. The country’s population has grown by about 30 percent over the last 20 years. That creates new demand.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nioe
    Favourite Nioe
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 12:13 PM

    @Earth Traveller: I said that in my comment above.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Berkieahern3
    Favourite Berkieahern3
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 1:19 PM

    @Jim Beatty: you can be sure the nail you buy in Super valu is twice the price of the one in Aldi though!!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seosamh
    Favourite Seosamh
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 1:36 PM

    @Michael Kelly: My gripe is not with Aldi, it’s the so called government.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Leitrim303
    Favourite Leitrim303
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 5:46 PM

    @Nioe: who can afford to shop in a corner shop

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen East
    Favourite Stephen East
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:27 AM

    Local Aldi and Lidl they restrict people going in but once in its a free for all, Always felt these shops workers are under a lot of pressure as i see them running around like headless chickens almost running with pallets barely looking if anyone is there and when i have seen people talking to workers they almost look irritated like they are thinking stop talking to me i need to get the shelves filled

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Madden
    Favourite Brian Madden
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:49 AM

    @Stephen East: I think the staff in my local aldi and lidl are very helpful. It’s not a free for all. People might browse longer in the meat or fruit and vegetable section. Do you expect the staff to move people along once inside?

    96
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Dalton
    Favourite Sean Dalton
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 10:33 AM

    @Stephen East: its personal responsibility when your in a shop. What do you want staff with cattle prods at each aisle moving people along?

    78
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Houlihan
    Favourite Tom Houlihan
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 11:41 AM

    This is incorrect. They will
    Not create ‘jobs’. You won’t eat more because there is another supermarket in town. You may just buy less in the other supermarkets and they will lay off staff .

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Berkieahern3
    Favourite Berkieahern3
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 1:17 PM

    Fair play, they seem like descent employers. Same staff in the shop in my town for over 10 years now. And nice people aswell.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mary Walshe
    Favourite Mary Walshe
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 1:41 PM

    @Berkieahern3:
    And a lot of their products are Irish produced. Every so often they stock stuff by small producers starting out in business.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Virgil
    Favourite Virgil
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 10:38 AM

    As you enter Clifden, capital of Connemara, the first thing you see is… Aldi. Ah well, I suppose you can’t eat the landscape

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Vlogs
    Favourite Joe Vlogs
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 2:08 PM

    @Virgil: great thing too since it arrived. Locals are saved a one and a half hour drive to Galway or Westport to find a grocery store. Connemara is not just a summer holiday destination…people actually live here too.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Declan McArdle
    Favourite Declan McArdle
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:14 AM

    What about opening stores in Northern Ireland???

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute thomas patrick
    Favourite thomas patrick
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:15 AM

    @Declan McArdle: take your issues to the Telegraph

    138
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cian Nolan
    Favourite Cian Nolan
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 9:55 AM

    @Declan McAr

    5
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Declan McArdle
    Favourite Declan McArdle
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 10:14 AM

    @thomas patrick: Belfast Telegraph or the Toryograph in the UK?

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Murphy
    Favourite Pat Murphy
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 11:09 AM

    @Declan McArdle: not in the eu so lol

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aunties
    Favourite Aunties
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 10:02 AM

    Beep beep beep.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Maalouf
    Favourite Maalouf
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 12:32 PM

    I always shop and support local business. That’s why I only shop in Tesco Metro.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Kelly
    Favourite Michael Kelly
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 11:27 AM

    Good news we need it

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave
    Favourite Dave
    Report
    Jan 13th 2021, 4:48 PM

    A friend of mine loves working for Aldi but is always busy, she barely gets any free time and her day consists of “Manager required at till 3″ ” Till 4 will now be open”…

    Only for it to close 2 minutes later and a further 1 minute later shes back at it again ” Till 3 will now be open”

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds