And Leo, Fine Gaels very own version of Bertie Ahern should recognises stroke when he sees one.

Can anyone define Stroke Politics please? Genuine question.

Well Tom, my understanding of it is when a TD pulls a stunt just to ensure his re-election. Also known as parish pump politics.

Thanks for asking Tom. I am the same. Can’t keep up with all these new buzz words we are supposed to know.

Unfortunately, the term ‘Stroke politics’ is not new.

He’s good for a sound byte. That’s why he’s interviewed so much. He gave an honest answer to that question. I’d have more respect for him after that rather than fudging it.

Yeah but, what’s he up to? He clearly has an agenda to get himself more power, at least he’s acting like he has – why do they let him do it? Is he the Minister for Saying What Enda Wont or is he doing his own thing?
Whatever, he is a slimey little cockroach

he’s one of the few fg ministers articulate enough to deal with the media for the most part though he is prone to the odd gaf now and then. this one isn’t a gaf though. that should be strike 3 for Reilly. he should resign and if he doesn’t then Edna should have him kicked out of the cabinet for good.

Your damned if you do and damned if you don’t… he was asked a question and he answered it honesty, if he weazeled his way out of it everyone would say he was closing ranks etc etc etc… people are never happy

Prefer to see him focus on his own ministerial duties rather then being interviewed so much, step out of the spot light and step into your office Leo.

To be fair to him, he is also a Dr of the MD variety so a discussion on the health care system is actually within his personal area of expertise beyond his political career. And as was said further up, he’s not shy of the media and they know they’ll get a headline out of him as he tends to speak his mind and not purely the party line/spin all the time.

He has an opinion on everything and knows nothing. He Has never even worked in a real job.

He has less in common with the Irish people than the Queen!

Lots of Irish people have never worked in a real job either Emmet, does that mean he has lots in common with them?

What’s a real job Emmet?

Emmet – you do know he is a qualified doctor and worked as such before moving into politics?

Probably not.

Must be difficult for all the Leo haters to find themselves agreeing with what he says.

I grudgingly, don’t completely dislike Leo, he seems to tell it like it is and is less of a question-weasel. Though we should remember that in the Bruton coup, Leo was part of that group that tried to oust Enda, and Reilly played his part in supporting Enda, so maybe Leo has an axe to grind too.

Yeah, thats the thing Diarmaid, You’re right in saying 99% of gov ministers wouldve dodged that question – and its good to hear someone not mincing the words. But why are they letting him do it? Is he trying to soften the impact of getting rid of Reilly perhaps? Is there a plan to all this?
Or is Leo able to just shoot his mouth off whenever he wants to suit himself? Either they have a master plan with all of this which is slimey and underhanded, or they are so disorganised and fighting for power from within with Leo throwing ‘I am the voice of reason in all this’ shapes and the rest of ye better watch out for meeeeee which shows they are not a coherent government able to take on the vast problems facing them.
I smell something nasty

I smell an election Dave.

Dave Harris

I think you are crediting them with way too much intelligence!

A ‘master plan’ ??

this government??

Piss up. Brewery.

What will an election achieve Litlle Jim?? Its would be pretty much as we are….FG/FF probally on the cards…. FG will get between 33 and 36%… The rest will get about 17% each!!! so whats the point…the landscape has not changed that dramatically since the election…

Dave , I agree with you . They send him out to introduce in a back handed manner something like ,sacking Reilly , or cutting Allowances, really hard budget….. He loves the sound of his own voice and has NO experience of real life or real people. I am always very wary when Veradkar is ‘honest’ or giving ‘straight answers ‘ . Something worse is coming down the line !

I’m afraid you may be right Declan, it won’t achieve anything.
The sniping at each other seems to be getting worse, it looks like some are already beefing up their voter base. There will be solo runs all over the place in the next 6 months.
The goverment whip is nowhere to be seen.
This is not what fg/lab were voted in for.
Right now, Canada is looking good!

Probably right lads, just my initial reaction to a politician appearing to be honest at the expense of his party colleagues was a positive one. Probably illustrates how low our expectations are of Irish politicians than displaying any positive credentials of Leo on reflection!

Ye did vote them in..?

Fergal they were voted in for saying on thing, then they LIED and did another. How are those who voted for them responsible for THEIR about turn and Lies? We have no power to change a politician five minutes after electing them. Its the system prevents their removal on lying.

We’ve got one guy wh is doing it but you can be sure as shit, he’s not doing it to help us

Declan, ever notice that most of those straight answers relate to questions regarding the roles of other ministers rather then his own role. I’d love to hear some straight answers regarding Transport, for example what is he doing to track down groups willing to financially back PPP highways schemes that are on the shelf waiting to be be built and give 1000’s of people work.

Dave again I agree with you .
Jason You have hit the nail on the head .
This minister is an idiot he allows himself to
dish the dirt on others yet can give no opinion on his own brief.
Leo has no clue and could not care less about his constituents.
He was 3 when FG / Labour were in coalition before . He is a 33 yr old
inexperienced person with no interest in our plight unless it is to promote his own agenda.
Yes something is about to happen and it will not be good for us.

So Eileen, you are saying Leo is an idiot because he gives an honest opinion?

You also appear to be saying that only someone who was a member of the previous Lab/FG coalition has enough experience to be a member of Cabinet?

RE his own brief – my money is on you guys switching channels on one of the many times he addresses it.

BTW – do any of you disagree with what he said re Reilly?

@Bob Mc Bob
Actually Bob I think Leo is an idiot .(Full Stop)
I did not always think this , in fact I gave him my number One vote last year .
I do not pay any heed to anything these politicians say any more since ”not one more cent” .
They are proven liars .

Do you agree or disagree with what Leo said about Reilly?

Mc Bob ?
Are you serious ? What exactly did he say about Reilly ?
Let us look at what he said ….
“You know, you have to trust your colleagues to make the right decisions and make them on the right basis and I do trust Dr Reilly in that regard.
“But I don’t know all the details,” Varadkar said.
He also said ”It does look like it,” (Stroke Politics) Varadkar said when questioned by Seán O’Rourke. ”I don’t know if it is or not”
Like I said I not pay him any regard in what he says ,It is all a big game to him.

Emmet – what seat is that? €36,000 for giving up a seat?

Emmet Boyle talking nonsense = Joke!

Ye because he can fix that in timeframe of a trip to New York? Hmm

Well Fergal his time could be put to better use instead of going to New York. While he may or may not get it sorted out in that time frame, he could get a head start on getting things done.

The public sector is filled with ordinary bhard working people . There are some people in the public sector who have to claim FIS to subsidise their pathetic incomes to support their families. Not all public servants earn huge slaries and allowances .The majority are on very basic low incomes. But hey don’t let the truth influence your need to attack or begrudge people who want to help our society .

@Eileen
I’ve never heard anybody say cut the low paid PS workers.
It’s the many highly paid wasters in the PS that pisses people off.
What part of that don’t you understand. He even said “well off” in his comment.

” manonthestreet
Who said ”well off” in his comment , Where ?

The comment you replied to. The person you basically attacked for having a different opinion than yours.

ManOnTheStreet
Lol !

I agree.

I was willing to give James Reilly some benefit of the doubt, as I imagine the Dept of Health is such a difficult place to work in.

Until this announcement of the 2 Primary Care Centres in his constituency . This is too much like the Fianna Fail crowd.

Maybe he is just making sure there is a place for him to work after the next election.

These primary care units are designed to take the pressure off hospitals. So that is why there is no problem having them near hospitals.
As regards Leo. People on here moan about politicians dodging questions and not giving honest answers yet when he gives an honest answer you still don’t like it. Can’t win with some people.