Irish government on brink of collapse ahead of key Brexit talks

DUBLIN: Ireland's minority government was on the brink of collapse Friday after the main opposition party called a vote of no-confidence in the deputy prime minister, just weeks before a key Brexit summit in which Dublin plays a significant role.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, leader of the Fine Gael party that heads the government, has rejected calls for the resignation of his deputy Frances Fitzgerald.
But opposition leader Micheal Martin, whose Fianna Fail party props up the government, has said there would be an election if she doesn't step down.
Fitzgerald "should step aside in our view and that would avoid a general election", he told RTE public radio.
Fianna Fail has tabled a motion of no-confidence which parliament will vote on next Tuesday. Both parties have raised the prospect of an election before Christmas.
The crisis comes ahead of the key summit on Dec 14-15 when EU leaders – including Varadkar – will have to decide whether to move forward on Brexit negotiations with Britain.
Ireland has repeatedly raised concerns about the fate of the border with British-ruled Northern Ireland, one of three priority areas that must be resolved before the talks move on to trade.
Enormous issue
After talks with Martin on Friday, Varadkar said he hoped there was still time to resolve the dispute, which relates to his deputy's past role as justice minister.
"I think we still have an opportunity over the next couple of days and the weekend to avoid a general election," the prime minister told RTE television.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney took a more combative approach, telling reporters as he arrived for an EU meeting in Brussels that Fianna Fail was "behaving recklessly".
"We have a precarious situation with the main opposition party that signed up to an agreement in the country's interest ... now effectively breaching that and risking an election at a time when there are some really, really serious issues for the government to manage," he added.
After Fine Gael lost seats in the Feb 2016 election, Fianna Fail agreed to support its minority government on budgets and abstain or vote against any motions of no confidence.
The crisis centres around claims that Fitzgerald, who was minister for justice between 2014 and 2016, was aware of attempts to undermine police whistleblower Maurice McCabe, who had alleged corruption and malpractice within the force.
"This is an enormous issue, it's something that is at the core to every citizen of this country," Martin told RTE radio.
Varadkar on Friday called them "trumped up charges" and repeated that he would not be seeking Fitzgerald's resignation.
Both parties have said that a vote, if necessary, should be conducted as soon as possible, with senior government figures suggesting the week of Dec 18.
Third party Sinn Fein has tabled a similar no-confidence motion, but outgoing party president Gerry Adams has said he will not lead the party into any snap election.
Adams has called upon Varadkar to veto an agreement between Britain and the bloc if there are no guarantees that the Irish border will remain open.
Arlene Foster, leader of Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, on Friday accused the Irish government of using the Brexit negotiations "to put forwards their views on" Irish unification. — AFP