Leo: My partner’s delighted I said ‘Matt’s all folks’
Taoiseach is set to catch up with family after Brussels trip
Matt is delighted. This life was never really for him
LEO VARADKAR IN BRUSSELS YESTERDAY
LEO Varadkar has said that his longterm partner Matt Barrett is “delighted” by his decision to step down as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr Varadkar refused to back any potential successor as the Fine Gael leadership as he admitted his decision hasn’t sunk in.
He will remain as Taoiseach until his successor is appointed.
Asked by the Irish Mirror in Brussels his family and Mr Barrett’s reaction, the Taoiseach admitted he had not spoken to many of his relatives since the news broke.
He added: “I haven’t had a proper chance to talk to my family.
“I have loads of missed calls and missed messages. [It was a] very tight turnaround last night. Looking forward to having that chance over the weekend.
“Matt is delighted. This life was never really for him.”
When he announced his resignation on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar said that he was stepping down for personal and political reasons.
When asked by the Irish Mirror if this was the only reason as many people do not believe his explanation, he joked: “For as long as I’ve been in politics, there have been people that don’t believe me even when often I’ve been the only person telling the truth or one of the few people telling the truth”.
He added: “In terms of my own decision, my own reasons, there’s no one event, there’s no one thing. I appreciate the need for journalism to have a thing or a moment. In real real real life. It’s often not like that.
“But there comes a time when you need to move on and you need to make space for new people, new ideas, and new energy and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Mr Varadkar denied that he was saying that there was “nothing left in the tank”.
He added: “I’ve had the privilege for over 13 years to represent Ireland, around the world, to come to Brussels to attend meetings like this.
“But it can’t be forever and I don’t want it to be forever.
“I left Leinster House last night at nearly 10pm. I went home, ate a takeaway, had a chat with my partner and got up at 6.45am to get on the plane at 8am.
“You know you don’t need to do that forever.”
Mr Varadkar said that the referendum defeats this month “didn’t really” affect his decision.
The Taoiseach also refused to be dragged into the debate on a new Fine Gael leader as it was becoming more and more clear that Simon Harris would take over the reins on April 9.
Mr Varadkar said: “There is a very, very long standing tradition in Fine Gael, and a very good one, that outgoing or former party leaders don’t endorse a particular candidate. So I’m not going to do that.
“The reason I’m not going to do that is it will allow me to support wholeheartedly whoever is elected as the next Fine Gael leader.”
He added that while a contest can be “beneficial” it is not something that is “essential”.