Kenny to address leadership issue at Fine Gael meeting

Enda Kenny has confirmed that he will address the issue of his own future as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael at a party meeting on Wednesday.

In a short statement on Sunday, Mr Kenny said he would make no other comment on the issue until then.

It comes as one of the leading contenders to replace him said the process should start “very quickly” after he returns from meeting US president Donal Trump in the White House on March 17th.

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney, in his most definitive comments on the timing of the succession,indicated his preference is for Mr Kenny to step down in April or early May, even though he would not be drawn on a specific deadline.

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Mr Coveney, speaking in an interview on The Week in Politics on RTÉ 1 on Sunday, also criticised supporters of Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar - who is expected to be his main rival for the leadership - for putting ultimatums and threatening motions of no confidence.

However, a spokesman for Mr Varadkar said he agreed with the timeline set out by Mr Coveney.

It is known Mr Coveney will not support any motion of no confidence should the Taoiseach not set out a specific timeline for his departure. Mr Kenny is expected to address the issue at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday.

Setting out a conciliatory tone, but nonetheless saying the change should happen in the short term, Mr Coveney said: “ I trust the Taoiseach’s judgement on the transition.”

He also sought to distance his approach from that of Mr Varadkar.

On Saturday evening, Mr Varadkar called on Mr Kenny to outline his intentions regarding the party leadership.

He said in a statement that everyone was waiting to hear from the Taoiseach and 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,” he said.

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Coveney said: “The emphasis has been different from Leo and from me. He wants to push things and have timelines from the Taoiseach.

“In my view we should trust the Taoiseach with this. My view is that Taoiseach should go to Washington on St Patrick’s Day and I expect the leadership within Fine gel and the leadership in the country will be dealt with very quickly after that.”

Ultimatums

Asked to specify whether that should be four weeks, eight weeks or twelve weeks, he replied: “The party should not putting down ultimatums and putting down motions of no confidence, demanding immediate statements.

“He has led Fine Gael for 15 years and has led the country through a storm for the past six years. I think he deserves the trust of the party to be able to manage an orderly transition.”

Mr Coveney accepted it was never an easy process.

“We have an obligation to the country that this is managed in an orderly and sensible way and not from threats to people within the party,” he said.

He said he was confident Mr Kenny would clarify his future at the meeting next Wednesday. “I trust the Taoiseach to use his own judgement. My sense is he will provide that certainty.”

Another senior Fine Gael figure, Dublin MEP Brian Hayes, set out a 12-week departure timetable on Sunday morning.

He said it would allow the Taoiseach, who has vast experience in EU affairs, to lead the Irish delegations in Brexit negotiations immediately after Britain triggers article 50.

Mr Coveney would not be drawn on whether or not he agreed with that timescale.

Mr Hayes said he did not believe a vote of no confidence in the Taoiseach would be good as it would split the party.

Speaking on RTÉ's Marian Finucane show, he said he knows who will get his support in the anticipated leadership contest, but declined to say which candidate will get his vote.

Mr Hayes, who was party’s the director of elections in the last general election, said he had “no doubt it has been a disastrous week” for Mr Kenny whose prospects of survival have been “hurt badly” by controversies surrounding the Garda whistleblower controversy.

On Saturday, Minister for Foreign affairs Charlie Flanagan said party politicians should show “calm and restraint” regarding the leadership issue, warning of the possibility of prompting another general election, which could have “disastrous consequences”.

Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty, also speaking on Saturday, said people were wrong who claimed Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney were impatient for the leadership issue to be resolved and she insisted there was no “orchestrated campaign” to remove Mr Kenny as leader.