Leo Varadkar refuses to ‘definitively rule out’ emergency budget measures to tackle fuel crisis

Leo Varadkar said he is “reluctant” to rule out any emergency budget measures if the fuel crisis deepens.

The Tanaiste said that while the Government has no plans for intervention until Budget Day in the autumn, things could change depending on the “dramatic” escalation of fuel prices. Mr Varadkar said on Wednesday: “We’ve no plans for further intervention until Budget Day which will happen in the autumn.

“As is always the case, I’m reluctant to definitively rule out anything 100% because this is a rapidly changing situation. I think if we were to see further dramatic escalations of fuel prices we’d have to give consideration to an intervention then.”

Read more:Fuel rationing ‘could be a reality’ very soon, warns EU Commissioner

Speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland, Mr Varadkar said that Ireland’s economy was in a good position and the Government would be able to help people with the cost of living. EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness warned that the EU member states could face fuel rationing in the winter.

Mr Varadkar said: “We have contingency plans if it turns out that we end up with restrictions on the supply of gas, petrol, and diesel in the country. I don’t think that’s going to happen. In the last couple of years or so, we’ve been through a pandemic, we’ve been through Brexit, and we’ve been through a war on Ukraine by Russia, we have had real problems with price stability but we haven’t had problems with supply.

“We do have 90 days’ reserves.” He added that while he could see price hikes being a problem, he was confident that there wouldn’t be any supply issues.

When asked about the explosive scenes between him and Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty in the Dail where Mr Varakar accused him of having “abused and mistreated” a member of An Garda Siochana, he said he acted in “self-defence”.

It all started during a debate on the cost of living crisis when Mr Doherty referred to Mr Varadkar’s recent garda investigation, which the DPP is currently considering, over a proposed GP contract which Mr Varadkar leaked to a rival group. The Fine Gael leader has insisted repeatedly that he has not committed a crime.

Senator Lynn Ruane hit out at Mr Varadkar’s comment saying people should not be “shamed” for the mistakes they made in their childhood, teenage years, or their 20s. But Mr Varadkar the incident was not a “spat”.

He said: “It was self-defence. If anybody watched that from start to finish, they can see what was a series of attacks on my party. I obviously defended my party and a personal attack on me.

“I defended myself. I’m not somebody who likes to get personal or down and dirty in politics. I’ve probably mellowed with age in that regard.”

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