Wildlife expert Christopher O’Sullivan (also the Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South-West) may be interested to know there may be a rare winter visitor about the Leinster House campus, which has migrated from its northern habitat. He can be found in the callows of LH2000, otherwise known as Committee Room 1.
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will visit the Oireachtas today to engage with the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. He is there as one of the architects of the historic accord.
It has been almost three years since Adams retired as a TD and almost five years since he was Sinn Féin leader. It’s apt that he is visiting in the week when there is a changing of the guard at Merrion Street – with the likelihood that the next changing of the guard will see his own party lead the government.
This whole political week has been all about next Saturday and the first rotation involving the office of An Taoiseach. All of the politicians we have spoken to this week – especially on the Government side – are conscious that this is half time, and the long lead-in to the next general election starts here. Politics is an uncertain profession at the best of times but the level of uncertainty about the future is more marked than before.
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Unsurprisingly, what is happening at the weekend dominated last night’s meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party (Fianna Fáil did not hold one as Micheál Martin is on a last lap of honour in Brussels where the European Union summit starts today).
Leo Varadkar was candid with his colleagues. As Cormac McQuinn reports, he wants all those with ministerial posts, or who are committee chairs, to make a commitment to run in the next election. Read the report here.
Of all the parties, Fine Gael looks like it will make most changes. At senior level though, it looks like Varadkar will make only minimal changes. Simon Coveney will have to move to accommodate Micheál Martin. As of now, it looks like he will be moving into Varadkar’s portfolio of enterprise.
As we report: “There is limited scope for big changes to senior ministerial roles and most moves are expected to take place in the junior ranks. The Irish Times understands that the prospect of extra ‘super-junior’ ministers being added is receding amid a fear in Government that politicians creating jobs for themselves would become the story of the reshuffle.”
Planning reforms
Swansong it might be for Micheál Martin in Brussels but you can’t avoid the domestic questions. After he arrived in Brussels yesterday, Micheál Martin was asked about the concerns raised by Green Ministers about Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien’s new legislation which sets out to streamline the planning process.
It was a clever response and turned the argument a little on its head. As Pat Leahy, who is over there for the summit, reported: “On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned that the new planning legislation was needed if the country was to meet its climate targets.”
This morning we are reporting that the reforms could be enacted by Easter despite the objections raised by the Greens.
It has caused some ripples within the Coalition – the other two parties have argued to the Greens that without this legislation it does not have a hope in hell of getting the offshore wind it needs to meet the climate change target.
A source almost pointed to that mythical Irish figure Tadhg an Dá Thaobh. The Greens “want it both ways”, said the source, accusing the smaller Coalition party of “poor form”.
This row is not over yet.
Best reads
Miriam Lord’s column looks ahead to the Cabinet mini shuffle at the weekend and, among other things, ponders on the fact that the Minister for Health’s demise was a tad exaggerated: “With days to go,” she writes, “even the minister most tipped for the chop was reported to have rallied immensely. Stephen Donnelly’s ministerial career was apparently sitting up in bed and having a soft boiled egg.”
Naomi O’Leary surveys Irish MEPS on meeting transparency standards in light of the Qatargate scandal that has hit the European Parliament. Read it here.
After a hiatus of a decade, direct elections to Údarás na Gaeltachta have been restored.
Jack Horgan-Jones answers questions on the controversial new planning Bill.
Jennifer Bray reports on yesterday’s Leaders’ Questions during which Michael McGrath made an interesting observation on refugee numbers.
Finn McRedmond asks is Leo Varadkar still the bogeyman of the Tories in the UK?
Playbook
The Taoiseach will spend his last two days in that role at the EU Summit in Brussels, before returning home on Saturday to become Tánaiste and (presumably) Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Dáil today has a very early start, the earliest I can remember in a while.
Parliamentary Questions to Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys begin at 8.54am, followed by Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan just before half 10.
Leo Varadkar’s last stint fielding questions as Tánaiste takes place at noon at Leaders’ Questions.
Statements on defects in apartments will be delivered by the working group at 1.45pm followed by statements on social housing income level thresholds at around 4pm.
At 7.20pm, the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) (Pets) Bill 2021 will come before the Dáil at its second stage.
The Dáil will adjourn at half 8.
Seanad Éireann
9.30am: Appropriation Bill 2022 (all stages)
10.30am: Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022 (all stages)
13.15pm: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022
Committees
The Public Accounts Committee meets at half 9 and will look at contract payments in respect of use of the Convention Centre in Dublin.
At half 10, the Committee on Gender Equality will meet to launch their report, entitled Unfinished Democracy: Achieving Gender Equality Final Report.
Gerry Adams will meet the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement at half 1.
