TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said that his partner Matthew Barrett is “delighted” with his decision to resign as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader.
Having arrived in Brussels for an EU summit meeting today, the Taoiseach told the media: “This life was never for him”.
He added that the reality of his decision to quit the top job hasn’t “really sunk in”, and that he has not had time to speak to his family about the decision yet.
When pressed on whether there are any other reasons behind his decision other than his feeling that he is no longer “the best person” for the job, Varadkar said that although he is often not “believed”, there are no other factors other than those he outlined yesterday.
He went on to speak about how long he has served as a Minister and as the Taoiseach, and said that he left Leinster House after 10pm last night, “had a takeaway” and a chat with his partner, and then was up before 7 am for a flight today.
“You don’t need to do that forever,” Varadkar added.
Following Fine Gael tradition, he said that he will not be endorsing any single candidate for his party’s leadership, so that he can fully support his successor.
He spoke of the need for “new energy” and “new ideas” for Fine Gael to secure its fourth term in Government come the next general election.
Varadkar said that toxicity in politics has increased since he first took office, which was one of the reasons why his party colleague announced he won’t be running again this week, but he added that he always knew that going into politics meant facing a “certain level of abuse”.
He also said that in his view social media is not the only factor behind abuse towards politicians being amplified in recent years, adding “it’s also because of the cynicism in mainstream media”.
Taking aim at the media again, Varadkar said that his longevity as leader has not in the main caused Fine Gael politicians to drop out of the running before the upcoming election cycle, despite “poor analysis” on the topic from reporters.
The Taoiseach said that he does not yet know if he will stand as a candidate in the next general election, but he will keep on representing his constituency up until then, and is looking forward to engaging in local campaigns.
Varadkar said that it remains to be seen what his legacy will be.
“I feel sorry for the people who have to write that kind of rubbish on Sunday, it is a pity they get paid to write it because it is all rubbish,” he said, suggesting that it will be years before the impact of his time as Taoiseach is clear.
On today’s EU summit meeting, Varadkar said that it is now crucial for the bloc to be able to reach a conclusion on unanimously calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, “leading to a two-state solution”.
The Taoiseach said that raising issues impacting farmers, reiterating support for Ukraine, and expressing his Government’s interest in Ireland playing a part in any future European defence strategy will be his priorities today.
“We need weapons, ships and aircraft,” he said, adding that though Ireland is neutral, it should “be part” of the bloc’s plans.
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