Sinn Féin has backed away from tabling a motion of no confidence in Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy before the Dáil rises for its summer recess next month.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, the Sinn Féin chief whip, said the party's Dáil time next week will be used to debate hospital waiting lists. The Dublin South Central TD added that the party had no other slots available for private member's business before the recess , which begins in the middle of July.
“There is no plan at present to have a vote of no confidence, despite us not having confidence in Eoghan Murphy or this government,” Mr O’Snodaigh told RTÉ News. “We have a slot next Tuesday and we are dealing with the issue of hospital waiting times.
“Before the summer, there is no other Sinn Féin private members time available for any other motion, whether it is on Eoghan Murphy or anybody else.”
Labour Party senator Kevin Humphreys said he was “disappointed that Sinn Féin have now bottled it”.
“If they believe like I do that this housing crisis is unacceptable now, then they should table the motion. Pretending that they might do it in a few weeks or in advance of the budget is an effort to exploit the issue for personal political gain.
"If Sinn Féin believe the Minister of Housing and the policies being pursed by the Fine Gael government are the wrong solutions as I do, then they should table a motion of no confidence in the Minister. Their bluff has been called this week by the Taoiseach and they seem afraid to face the people in an election that might follow if Fianna Fáil decided not to abstain."
Figures in Sinn Féin said they may try to table a motion of no confidence in Mr Murphy before, or just after, the October budget. Earlier this week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar angered Fianna Fáil by saying the party would take a "kicking" if it did not support such a Sinn Féin motion.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Mr Varadkar was talking up an election, and said the Taoiseach should stop “stirring the pot” and “cop on” as the country faced key tests such as Brexit.
Brexit talks deadline
Mr Martin also told The Irish Times he was "very concerned" about the October deadline to reach a withdrawal deal between the EU and Britain, indicating Fianna Fáil would not threaten the Government's stability amid such uncertainty.
The Cork South Central TD’s comments came after Mr Varadkar claimed Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin could choose to cause an election.
On Friday, Mr Martin accused Fine Gael and Sinn Féin of “talking up” an election.
“Some Fine Gael TDs - including the Taoiseach - have been stirring the pot,” Mr Martin said, adding that Mr Varadkar needed to “cop on”.
The confidence and supply agreement allows for a review at the end of the year, and that remains the case
The confidence and supply deal underpinning the minority government effectively runs out after the October budget, and Mr Varadkar has said he wants to extend the arrangement.
Mr Martin said: “The confidence and supply agreement allows for a review at the end of the year, and that remains the case.”