OVERALL VERDICT

VARADKAR’S performance has resembled the typical Irish summer.

Scattered sunny spells, mostly on the foreign front, have been intermingled with sustained domestic downpours.

This speckled performance is reflected in the result (38/80) — a safe pass, but not honours.

Varadkar must speedily exert authority over his party and build a working relationship with Fianna Fáil if he doesn’t want to become one of the shortest serving Taoisigh in the State’s history.