MIND YOUR JUNIOR APPOINTEES, LEO

JUNIOR ministers are like those third-class passengers in the Titanic who are a foot away from survival or annihilation. But at least they have a chance. For Mr Varadkar, the junior ministerial appointments offered an opportunity to show talent would be promoted and to heal his wounded female TDs. The reality was disastrous, with just seven women appointed out of the total of 34 ministerial posts.

Image is all in politics, and those photographs of grinning lads in suits posing behind Leo with his arms outstretched spell real trouble. The concept of Fine Gael representing a cold house for women will eat away at Varadkar who foolishly hogtied himself by refusing to promote any of the class of 2016. The treatment of John Deasy, the Waterford TD who was talked up by sources close to the leader and then politically executed without a trial, has caused much ill-feeling among those who hoped talent would be rewarded. VERDICT

A mess that posed real questions about the Taoiseach’s political antennae. 2/10