A Taoiseach who really knows how to put his foot in it
LATE on Friday evening, the Taoiseach tweeted a blooper reel on the eve of the one-year anniversary of his weekly social media videos. They contained clips of the Taoiseach fluffing his lines and even swearing in frustration at one point as he talks into the camera. Enjoyably accessible as his reel was, Mr Varadkar has omitted a few bloopers from the last year.
NOVEMBER 2017Who knew what when?
THE Taoiseach decided to stick by then Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald during the long-running saga over what she knew, and when she knew it, in relation to the legal strategy deployed against Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe at a State Commission of Inquiry in 2015. Mr Varadkar refused to dispose of his former political mentor, who eventually tendered her resignation, which he accepted with ‘deep regret’ despite the crisis bringing the country to the brink of a snap election.
NOVEMBER 2017Homeless? What homeless?
LEO VARADKAR’S first speech as party leader was one to forget when he came in for sharp criticism after telling the Fine Gael national conference that ‘Ireland has one of the lowest levels of homelessness. We’re actually a country by international standards, compared with our peers, that has a low level of homelessness.’ His comments led to angry responses from campaigners who pointed to the rising rate of homelessness in Ireland, as opposed to international comparisons.
SEPTEMBER 2017Free Tacos
LEO was backstage at the LCD Soundsystem concert for a meet-and-greet with the band, along with some trendy Fine Gaelers when he was confronted by band member Al Doyle over the Eight Amendment. This was prior to Leo openly supporting repeal. Mr Doyle took to twitter to label the Taoiseach a ‘t***er’ after the confrontation. Keyboard player Nancy Whang, who was wearing a Repeal slogan, retweeted the MoS splash of the affair with a message for the Taoiseach: ‘Hope u enjoyed yr free concert and taco.’
FEBRUARY 2017An unhappy Chinese New Year to you too
THE MoS attempted to ask the Taoiseach a question about bullying claims within Fine Gael at a public event to celebrate the Chinese New Year. His team of PR advisers and handlers forcefully blocked a MoS reporter from asking a question at what they described as a ‘visual only event’. Only a few months previously, the Taoiseach was handing out ‘Leo’ cupcakes during his campaign to become leader of Fine Gael. How things have changed. This week the Taoiseach went on the offensive against the media after he was questioned over revelations about his special arrangement with Michael Lowry, following our exclusive story about the deal.
MARCH 2018 Taoiseach lands himself in the rough over Doonbeg
THE Taoiseach told the world’s media a story about his previous contact with Donald Trump while he was Minister for Tourism and President Trump a mere reality TV star and millionaire businessman. The Taoiseach’s inference that he helped Mr Trump get around the planning process for his Doonbeg Golf Resort sent shock waves back across the Atlantic.
JUNE 2017 I love socks actually …
LEO couldn’t contain his excitement on his maiden visit to Downing Street, and said it was a ‘thrill’ to visit te PM’s residence where Hugh Grant danced down the stairs in the romantic comedy Love Actually. Not one to trivialise the importance of diplomatic relations, when the Taoiseach hosted Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in Dublin he presented his first official foreign visitor with Irish socks. He then gleefully flaunted the Canadian Mounties and Maple Leaves socks he was wearing to the watching media.