Fr Peter McVerry has issued an apology to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar following comments he made suggesting that the Fine Gael leader overruled Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien’s decision to extend the eviction ban.

In recent days, Fr McVerry, of the Peter McVerry Trust, suggested that Minister O'Brien wanted to extend the eviction ban but that he was overruled by the Taoiseach, and the government voted the end the ban. 

However, speaking on the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s RedFM this morning, Fr McVerry apologised to the Taoiseach, saying:

“The phrase I was given was that the Taoiseach had overridden the Minister.
"In light of the Taoiseach’s denial, which I accept as true, I believe that that phrase was unfortunate and inaccurate, suggesting as it does a conflict or dispute between the Taoiseach and the Minister."

Fr McVerry went on record to say that he believes Mr Varadkar, Minister O’Brien and the Cabinet made the decision to end the eviction ban together.

“So, whatever the circumstances leading up to the decision to end the [eviction] ban, which are now irrelevant, as the decision has been made, I accept that the Minister, along with the rest of the Cabinet and the Taoiseach, made the decision together to end the ban.

When asked if his previous comment about Mr Varadkar overruling Minister O’Brien’s judgement to extend the eviction ban was inaccurate, Fr McVerry explained:

“I’m saying the phrase that I was given that the Taoiseach had overridden the Minister was inaccurate and unfortunate, given the Taoiseach’s denial that he had done that.” 

When asked if his explanation was an apology or clarification, McVerry said:

“An apology to the Taoiseach, yes.”