Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As with many other Ministers, I speak to Deputy Ross regularly. We spoke just last night, for example, and obviously met at Cabinet this morning. We had two phone calls last Sunday, and on no occasion during either of those phone calls did he threaten resignation to me. I have seen reports that he may have done so in the newspapers, but perhaps that was in conversation with other people or Ministers. Certainly, in neither of the telephone conversations he had with me did he threaten resignation. I am happy to clarify that and I think I have clarified it already.

The process for appointing two High Court judges and one Court of Appeal judge, Ms Justice Máire Whelan, by the President was done in the normal way. My office contacted the Áras to see when the President would be available and that was the time when we were both available. The Taoiseach or the Minister for Justice and Equality must go and, obviously, the President has to be there also. There was no undue pressure put on the Áras whatsoever to speed this up.

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