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# Political nostalgia
Back in time: Recognise this "medical doctor" posing with Keith Duffy?
Hint: It’s Leo Varadkar.
CONTINUING OUR INTERMITTENT series of posts along a vague theme of Irish political nostalgia — this leaflet from 2007 shows a then-candidate Leo Varadkar posing alongside medical colleagues and Boyzone’s Keith Duffy (no doubt in a bid to appeal to as wide a voter base as possible — because who doesn’t like Keith Duffy?).
The blurb bills him as a “qualified medical doctor and GP trainee working on the front line of the health services in the Accident and Emergency Department in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin”.
Leo has also worked in A+E and Geriatrics in Blanchardstown, A+E in Beaumont Obstetrics and Gynaechology in Holles Street, Medicine in Navan and St James’ and Geriatrics in Tallaght.
“He has first hand experience of the problems in the health service and understands our health system in a way that no other local politician can,” the leaflet reads.
The leaflet also sets out the Dáil hopeful’s priorities for the area…
[Leaflet via the excellent Irish Election Literature site]
Now Minister for Health of course, the Fine Gael politician has been in the news this week over comments on the Budget, which earned him something of a public rebuke yesterday from the Taoiseach.
Stray observation: Surely they could have found a photo of Keith Duffy not wearing a Santa hat?.. The election was in May.
Read: Here’s why Fine Gael transfers could decide the ‘Ming’ by-election
Read: What do people think of Leo’s big plan to tackle health insurance?
