Leo Varadkar to step down as Taoiseach

[LookItsMeAgain]

Breaking news.

This is currently on the RTE News Now app and on the BBC World news service that Leo is about to make an announcement that he is stepping down as Taoiseach and will not be leading FG into the next election.

I wonder who becomes Taoiseach then? Does Micheal Martin step back up to the role???

This. He is no friend to women and looks down on anyone beyond his immediate bubble of 'approved types of people' - mostly high-earning South-Dublin-bubble men, even if they're wearing a dress with their beard. He is more concerned with Ireland looking modern and progressive than actually bringing the population with him.

He has said he is staying on as TD although RTE did point out that he didn't mention if he'd stand in the next election. Personally, I doubt he will. He has until the next GE to line up the next job.

Leo only got 1000 no 1s in the last election yet he was making major decisions trying to change how we operate as a country

I liked him too, hope he's not ill

Politics has never been for faint hearted, but personal insults towards politicians has gone up I think. Lately I have seen a lot of mentions of him being gay and Indian online. I know those fuckers doing it don’t mean it in a positive way either. It completely crosses the line on what is acceptable behaviour and it’s sad to see it being done so often.

Any criticism of a politician should be about the way they do the job and their policies.

I used to like Leo but I don’t like the direction the FG party went under his leadership. They know they are fucked in the next lot of elections. People are angry and the constant lies doesn’t help.

Sad 😔 day for Ireland. 🇮🇪

🤣

This is great news as he should have gone when he leaked those papers. Next we need dozy balls Ryan to go as is absolutely useless.

Don't know if you read Sarah Carey's article in the Indo but I felt like it was so on the money, "I didn't leave Fine Gael, it left me" https://archive.ph/zaO3B . As someone who usually votes FG, I genuinely could not tell you what they stand for anymore (same with FF), I felt like I had somewhat of a better grasp of what the party was about during the Kenny years but similar to you I don't like the direction Leo has brought them in but I genuinely wouldn't be able to tell you what that direction is.

For all we talk about how the public have gotten nastier to politicans, they've gotten nastier amongst themselves too like maybe I'm misremembering it but I don't remember them being so rude to one another so often until the post crash years

Did anyone listen to The Leo Varadker is Wonderful Show Liveline yesterday.
I switched it off.

And nothing to do with his speech the day before telling Biden exactly how appalling the war against Palestine is ?

That may well be how he chooses to frame it. He will frame it as anything but his own elitism coming back to bite him on the arse. And he is right saying that Israel's war is unacceptable. Of course it is. But if people ever try to use that as his reason to exit his role I call bs.

People like Leo think it's ok to leave their own population behind. Eventually the population bites back.

On the "I Love Leo" Liveline show last week people were asked who they'd like as FG leader to replace Leo this was prior to Simon H's coronation.
I almost choked on my coffee when some woman rang in and said how great Helen Mc Entee would be as she was a great Minister, so on top of her brief.

Am I living in a parallel universe ???

That was probably one of her parents since they're known for singing her praises to all and sundry.

@honeyrider

Her mother never stops waxing lyrical about Helen McEntee.

Her father committed suicide in 2012 I think, he was being investigated for corruption I think, creating a by election

She got in on the sympathy vote then and took 6 counts to get her seat in 2020.

I think LV is jumping as it's a big gamble to go into next election as Taoiseach and not win a seat.

5 counts in 2020 to get in. That's a first (I think) for sitting Taoiseach to not get in on first count.

Even in 2020 his popularity was waning. I'm not sure he ever had the party members or public with him.

"they're known for singing her praises to all and sundry"

I'm sure Helen Mentee would give the world to have both her parents 'singing her praises'.

It could only be one of her parents, as her father took his own life in 2012, partly due to the personalised abuse he received about implementing budget cuts.

There are usually many reasons behind a suicide, but OTT abuse can be a contributing factor.

Groan. There is a dearth of talent across all the parties though. And it's all a conversation within the Pale. I remember talk of Seán Sherlock as next Labour leader and people saying his accent was unacceptable ffs.

Coveney was the obvious successor. I wonder why he passed up the chance.

Coveney's opportunity is gone.

Or less he is biding time until next see how the land lies after GE.

That is when the real FG will appear. Anyone in now is potentially just caretaker.

I cannot see anybody of substance floating around currently.

And anyone who does go into politics to try to do good, is either worn down and leaves or gets a taste and joins in.

If there are so gems around they need to up.

I hate spoiling my vote but I hate the thought of giving anyone in my constituency my vote equally.

Oops half sentence

If there are some hidden gems out there they need to get their faces and voices out to the public.

Are Donohue and Coveney (another one who inherited the seat of a suddenly-dead-while-under-financial-scrutiny father) standing back now because they know the local and EU elections are inevitably going to be a disaster for Harris, and they can then step in after his resignation and before the general election?

That's what I think is what is going on.

I could be wrong but I thought there was something in FG policy that the leader steps down if they don't form the next government.

Again I could have that completely wrong.

I think SH is a scapegoat, although he was strong as Health minister with Covid and also the only person who wasn't a complete dick when the cervical smear scandal broke.

He broke ranks ordering a public inquiry against wishes of Houlihan

If he was cash in on his Covid handling verses Donnollys he might not lose bigly.

I think it will be after the GE next year, gives any new leader time to regroup and build up public confidence to in theory contest the following GE

@MarieDeGournay I do realise that Helen Mc Entee lost her dad in tragic circumstances. May he rest in peace.

I'm sure she is a lovely person but imho not the person we need as Minister for Justice.
For her to say Dublin is safe as she walks through it surrounded by Gardai just beggars belief.