No confidence motion being debated in the Dáil as Government defends its decision

Kenneth Fox

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has moved a motion reaffirming confidence in his Government.

Speaking ahead of the vote, he defended the current coalition as "a good Government" and dismissed Labour's no confidence motion, which resulted in the current confidence motion, as "profoundly disingenuous".

As the Irish Examiner reports, labour's motion had been tabled in the context of the ending of the eviction ban.

Mr Varadkar noted that if the confidence motion fails, the Dáil would be dissolved tonight and the country returning to the polls in April

Ministers are seeking to rally the troops after Labour put forward the motion over the lifting of the eviction ban.

Opposition parties have been appealing to Independent TDs over the last few days hoping they will have changed their minds in the week since the last evictions ban vote in the Dáil.

A number of regional independents voted with the Government that time and could hold the balance of power this morning.

But Government sources are confident they will have the numbers to survive two Dáil votes today

One expressing confidence in the coalition and one on Sinn Féin legislation looking to extend the eviction ban

While in the end the numbers might not be tight it is going to be an uncomfortable morning in the Dáil for the Government.

The Transport Minister insisted the  'safety net' measures the government have put in place, will protect renters from being evicted.

He said the government is focused on delivering solutions.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald has said: "The message you have sent to a generation that has lost some many years to the crisis you have created, is to wait."

She said "Nero fiddles, while Rome burns."