Tag Archives: Leo Varadkar

Last night/this morning.

Via The Irish Times:

Both Mr Varadkar and Tánaiste Simon Coveney said that any programme for government must reflect Fine Gael values, citing fiscal responsibility and the deficit.

The Taoiseach suggested that if the deficit is not tackled – with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil favouring plans to reduce the deficit in the latter half of a five-year term – this would send out a signal to the markets that Ireland is not serious, as would the postponement of the increase in the State pension age, another sticking point in the talks.

Mr Varadkar is said to have told his TDs: “It won’t be government at all costs.”

Programme for government must include ‘fiscal responsibility’ – Varadkar (Irish Times)

Rollingnews

This afternoon.

Government Buildings, Dublin 2.

Via The Irish Times:

In a briefing to the media following Friday’s Cabinet meeting, Mr Varadkar said secondary schools and primary schools will reopen fully at the start of the school year.

However…

He said it may not be possible for every pupil to attend every school for the whole day every day at the start of school term but the intention was to revert to that as quickly as possible.

Also…

Katherine Zappone, the Minister for Children, also confirmed that childcare facilities will reopen with “playpods” for young children, with up to six infants aged under one being allowed in a single playpod….

Hmm.

Meanwhile…

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe meanwhile said that the temporary wage subsidy scheme will now apply to people returning to work from maternity leave, and from paternity leave.

Govt intends to reopen primary and secondary schools at end of August (RTÉ)

Taoiseach has confirmed schools will reopen at the end of August (Irish Times)

Earlier: ‘Behaving As Though Every Home Still Had A Stay At Home Mother’

Photocall Ireland

Meanwhile…

Previously: €44,000 Paid Per Private Bed In April

Mountjoy Square Park, Dublin 1 last month

This afternoon.

Via The Irish Times:

Gardaí are expected to operate a scaled-down operation this bank holiday weekend to enforce the coronavirus movement restrictions as the force switches focus from roads to parks, beaches and beauty spots.

While an enforcement operation will be in place this weekend, it is expected to be on a smaller scale and will focus on road safety rather than enforcing the movement restrictions.

This week Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said over the coming weeks the force’s coronavirus policing will focus on monitoring the movement restrictions through “community engagement at key locations such as parks, beaches and natural beauty spots

Garda to scale down Covid enforcement operation ahead of hottest weekend this year (Irish Times)

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

Leo Varadkar (right) in Phoenix Park Dublin last Sunday

[Leo Varadkar] said [On FM104 earlier] that there will be no repeat picnic in the park this weekend as he doesn’t “want to give my press officer a heart attack or anything.”

He said: “Unfortunately there are camera phones anywhere there are people these days but that’s the way it is. You have to live your life. And if you’re afraid of photographs you’d never go out.”

Thanks topless Blueshirt.

‘Not at that point yet’: Taoiseach says Ireland isn’t ready for 1-metre social distancing (iRadio)

Earlier: Roaming Charge

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar  (left) and Russian President Vladamir Putin

The topless thing.

You’re doing it wrong.

Via Jason O’Toole at RT [full article at link below]:

If it weren’t bad enough having to stomach the smugness of the Irish PM flouting his own rules, I reckon the sight of a topless Varadkar splashed all over the Irish papers on Tuesday morning would’ve put anybody off their breakfast.

You’d understand it better if he looked like Putin in his prime, but the only thing the PM, a qualified doctor, has to get off his chest here is a public apology.

…I can’t recall any other Irish PM in living memory who has made so many embarrassing slip-ups or as many remarkable volte-faces as Varadkar…

…I still laugh at how Varadkar was left with egg on his face when he once said he “wouldn’t be keen” on Donald Trump visiting Ireland – only then to become PM himself and end up fawning all over the US president in the Oval Office and even promising to learn how to play golf if the Leader of the Free World ever popped over to Ireland.

As I’ve always said, if an MRI scan was carried out on Varadkar, I doubt it would find any backbone. I believe he’s a spineless character willing to disregard once strong-held convictions to hold on to power.

I certainly couldn’t see any backbone on display in those photographs. Forget just needing to learn how to keep his big mouth shut, Varadkar should also keep his shirt on. Because the Covid-19 pandemic is certainly no picnic.

FIGHT!

Hypocritical Irish PM tells his people not to picnic during lockdown, then sunbathes bare-chested while picnicking 9Jason O’Toole, RT)

Yesterday: Picnicked

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Social democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy

This afternoon.

The Dáil, Leinster House, Dublin 2

“I think we have to continue to base our decisions on evidence but the plan, as was agreed by Government and published, is a living document.

I said from the very start, and I’ll say it again, that as things develop, elements of that plan could be accelerated, could be brought forward. But I really would ask the public and ask the House to hold firm for now.

We’re only in phase one and one of the reasons why it’s a three-week phase is so that we can have proper data. We know that, we won’t really now what effect the easing of the restrictions had for about two weeks.

So if we see that the numbers are still going very much in the right direction in the first week of June, that can give us an assurance that we could accelerate some of the things in the plan.

But before doing that, I think we’d be acting without evidence and that would be premature. So I would just ask people to hold firm until that first week in June.

And if the numbers are still going in the right direction, then we can have some confidence about bringing forward some of the things from the later phases to earlier on.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar under questioning from Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy.

Clear?

More as we get it.

Earlier: You Won’t Lose Your Shirt

 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Dáil this afternoon

“There are in fact people making more on the Covid payments than they were working part-time and some employers are actually telling us that it’s hard to get people to go back to work because of that.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on May 14 announcing plans to cut the Covid-19 unemployment payment as he claimed some people were milking the system.

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

There you go now.

A little humility.

That’s wasn’t difficult.

From top: Steward’s Lodge, Phoenix Park; distance between Carpenterstown and The Wellington Monument Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (right) and friends at the Monument last Sunday;

This morning.

Via Independent.ie:

On May 13, on ‘The Dermot and Dave Show’ on Today FM, the Taoiseach was asked if he was working from home and he replied: “It’s a bit of a combination, so I’m set up half in the office, half at home.”

He was then asked what the room he is working in is like to which he said: “No, no actually I’ve use of a house on the grounds of Farmleigh.”

However, when one of the hosts said this sounded “very salubrious”, Mr Varadkar said: “I’m still in my flat in Carpenterstown, though.”

The Taoiseach added there was “stuff ” in the State-owned lodge that he doesn’t have at home.

A statement issued by the Taoiseach’s Office when photos of Mr Varadkar in the park emerged said: “The Taoiseach has been in Steward’s Lodge during the last few weeks as it has secure office and videoconferencing facilities, which allows him to work from home.”

The response followed suggestions Mr Varadkar may have breached social-distancing rules by meeting his friends by the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park.

The Taoiseach’s apartment in his Dublin West constituency is almost 8km from the monument.

Varadkar said two weeks ago that State lodge ‘only for work’ (Independent.ie)

Yesterday: Picnicked

Monday: Sunday In The Park With Leo

Wikimedia/Google Maps/Twitter

 

From top: Leo Varadkar in the Phoenix Park, Dublin last Snday; Deputy Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Taoiseach Elizabeth Canavan

“Outdoor spaces and tourism sites, including car parks beaches and trails will be opened, where people can move around freely and where social distancing can be maintained. If you’re visiting a public amenity, try not to stay too long at the site or have picnics. Please do your exercise and then go home.”

Deputy Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Taoiseach, Elizabeth Canavan on May 18

Fluffybiscuits writes:

Leo contravening the goverment’s own advice: No picnics in the park?

Yesterday: Sunday In The Park With Leo

Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar denies picnic with friends was Covid-19 rule breach (The Guardian)

Rollingnews

Earlier:

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with partner Matthew Barrett and friends in Phoenix Park yesterday

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

Varadkar complied with Covid guidelines in Phoenix Park, says spokesperson (RTÉ)

Earlier…

Yesterday.

Phoenix Park, Dublin.

The Taoiseach and his partner Matthew Barrett met friends at the Wellington Monument on the Parkgate Street side of the park on Sunday afternoon.

The area of the park is almost 8km from his apartment on Carpenterstown Road in the Dublin West constituency.

Under the Government’s Covid-19 restrictions, people are prohibited from any non-essential travel more than 5km from their homes.

However, following queries from the Irish Independent, the Taoiseach’s spokesperson said: “The Taoiseach was in the Phoenix Park with his partner Matt and two friends on Sunday afternoon, in line with public health guidance.”

“He was within 5km of the Stewards Lodge, where he is staying during the Covid Emergency,” he added.

Good times.

Varadkar and partner living at Farmleigh lodge during pandemic (Independent.ie)

Video of Leo Varadkar enjoying sun in Phoenix Park causes controversy (Irish Mirror)

Update:

Splutter!

No need for the language.

This afternoon.

Dáil, Leinster House.

During leader’s questions, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (above) said:

“On Monday, Minister Harris announced the decision to make the flu vaccine available free of charge to all children aged between 2 and 12 this year. And to all of those defined as at risk, aged between 6 months and 69 years.

And, as we know, everyone over 70 already has access to the vaccine without charges. I believe we can save hundreds of lives this winter and every winter by a much greater uptake of the flu vaccine.

This matters now more than ever as we need to avoid a second wave of Covid-19 coming at the same time as the flu’ season.

It’s particularly important that uptake by healthcare workers is much better than in the past. This pandemic teaches us there is no excuse not to be vaccinated. We’ve experienced a small taste of what the world was like before vaccines and it hasn’t been good.”

FIGHT!

Ireland can’t borrow cheap money forever – Taoiseach (RTÉ)