LEO VARADKAR SAID that the Government is not currently “planning” for an early general election this year, but has not ruled out the prospect. 

Speaking on the RTÉ One programme ‘This Week’, Varadkar said that he will be contesting in the next election, and that he believes his party Fine Gael will be in Government, and will gain seats. 

On the subject of number of current Fine Gael TDs having already declared that they are not going to run again, Varadkar said there are multiple reasons why someone may choose not to run for re-election, and that it is “normal” within any political party. 

“I would expect to see in the next local elections, we will see a number of councillors doing extremely well in those elections, and they will then become the obvious candidates for the general election,” he said.

On the subject of selecting Ireland’s next European Commissioner, Varadkar said that it is a matter that will not arise until the next European elections are held in June of this year. 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has previously said that there is a “clear understanding” in Government that the next Commissioner will come from the Fianna Fáil party. 

Varadkar said “that may well be the case”, but he will not be engaging in discussions on the matter until the European elections have been held, and top European Union jobs become available. 

He said that whoever wins the appointment, it is in Ireland’s interest that they will have a “very strong CV”. 

Asked if he is concerned about far right candidates winning an electoral foothold in the next general election, Varadkar said that populism is on the rise in Ireland, and across the world, on both the right and the left of politics. 

“When it comes to any election I’m up for the fight,” he said, adding that it is “incumbent” on those who represent the center ground in politics to make their case, and to represent sound information, in the face of a rise of misinformation and disinformation. 

On his own future retirement, Varadkar said that he is not sure when he will make his exit from politics. 

“I am 21 years in politics. I’ve been elected five times by my community, it’s an honour, and a privilege, and I don’t take it for granted,” he said.