Leo Varadkar post Taoiseach

Newuseruntaken

He is lazy and has no leadership qualities at all. He hasn’t come up with a single decent idea in his time as Taoiseach. He was a complete failure as minister for health, and his time as Taoiseach has been spent repeating phrases like ‘ I have no responsibility for that area’ or ‘I can’t get involved in that’. There’s street sweepers who accept more responsibility than him.

The one time he actually took some responsibility for something, during brexit negotiations, he caused irreparable damage to Ireland by spending years saying we must have a backstop, then weeks before Johnston would have come away with no deal and lost all credibility, Leo folds and gets rid of the backstop, a classic case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Ready4Boarding

I think Fine Gael could do with some time in opposition to rehabilitate their image. Keeping Varadkar on as leader would hinder that. But, by God, please not Simon Coveney, whom I loath. I think the country, too, would benefit from a period of mature opposition.

Loafing Oaf

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It would not surprise me if they lost seats and had to form a coalition with FG. If that happens he would need to consider his position as leader.

I think he'll quit straight away if FF are not the largest party. None of the options facing the party in that situation are very appealing

IAMAMORON

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I think he'll quit straight away if FF are not the largest party. None of the options facing the party in that situation are very appealing

For me it is real coin flip how things will go the nest 3 to 4 months politically for either party.

As I see things the main hammers the opposition have are the housing crisis and the Children's hospital. How both these items get spun in the next 3 to 4 months are crucial to either. Cynically speaking they are actually not major issues for either party because the majority of their voters are not affected by homelessness and are likely to shrug their shoulders at the over budget hospital issues, I am saying that because they always have. In this context it is a coin flip as to how either succeeds here.

It could well come down to their ability to plámás their competing independent candidate, that is where the majority of the disgruntled votes are going. However this trend won't last forever and if you are an independent who is not supporting the government, you need to rely on your constituents re-electing you even if you haven't achieved any of your promises from the last election. Essentially independent seats are protest votes. Whichever party succeeds in mopping up these dead seats will be in government IMO.

Therein lies my hunch. I think that people prefer to give FG another chance than giving FF one. It was the collapse of FF after the crash which gave rise to the independent, I just can't see people changing their minds here.

touts

I believe this Taoiseach's gig is the longest job he's ever actually held in his life. He normally only spends a couple of years in a role before he gets moved on.

People say he'll go back practicing as a doctor. Well that won't happen because if you listen to him he is always careful to say he "trained" as a GP not practiced. He was elected a TD in 2007 but only "qualified" as a GP in 2010 so at least one of the two jobs wasn't being done properly over those years. If he does get booted out of office in a couple of years no hospital or GP practice would touch him as he will need very significant training and would be a huge insurance risk. I certainly wouldn't be too happy walking into my local GP and seeing him in there as a locum desperately resorting to Google to try and work out what was wrong with my sick child.

Anyway he manoeuvered himself into a position of being a serious candidate for EU Commission President when it came up a few months ago. He lost out because the other leaders knew he was a chancer with **** all experience. But my bet is he'll spend the next 4 years actively involved in EU affairs and then go for the top commission job. Remember he only took an interest in Brexit and Northern Ireland since he lost out on the commission. Then he'll hop around multinational boards and stuff and in 20 years with 6 or 7 pensions in his pocket he'll probably look for the Aras.

Bit cynical

Newuseruntaken wrote: »

The one time he actually took some responsibility for something, during brexit negotiations, he caused irreparable damage to Ireland by spending years saying we must have a backstop, then weeks before Johnston would have come away with no deal and lost all credibility, Leo folds and gets rid of the backstop, a classic case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

In fairness there is still at least some protection on the NI border issue even though the full UK wide customs area, which would have saved Irish jobs, is gone.

StupidLikeAFox

touts wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't be too happy walking into my local GP and seeing him in there as a locum desperately resorting to Google to try and work out what was wrong with my sick child.

"Well in terms of your child's sickness, we understand there is a complaint and this needs to be addressed. As a medical team it is something we will be placing a great focus on going forward notwithstanding personnel and resource constraints. I have initiated a review committee and it would be unfair of me to be make any comment until they have completed their full report. I won't be taking any further questions at this time"

Snow Garden

I think Leo has already moved on. He is only going through the motions now.

IAMAMORON

I can't help but think that there is a lot more to Leo than meets the public eye. I don't think it is possible to be complacent and then sort of meander your way to the Teashops office. It just does not happen that way.

You would have to imagine that it gives Mickie Martin such a headache when he is staring into the ceiling at quarter past four in the morning, it must feel awful. He is just unlucky, I never doubted his work ethic, but people will always tar him with the stains of the corrupted FF party of the noughties. He was minister for health when the smoking ban was introduced, he always appears to foot the blame for all the knife edge moments in Irish politics. He basically is very unlucky and you need a bit of luck in politics, especially in Ireland.

With Varadkar I always feel he creates his own luck. He always seems ahead of whatever scandal the opposition creates. He is cuter than the rest of them. Hardly remarkable mind you.

purifol0

IAMAMORON wrote: »

All political careers end in failure.

Tell that to President Higgins

IAMAMORON

purifol0 wrote: »

Tell that to President Higgins

In fairness he hasn't started falling asleep into his soup ……. yet.

You can argue the same with all elected Pressies. It is a slap on the back for popular middle men ( or women , heh heh :P).

Didn't McAleese get in for 7 years uncontested ? Hardly a victory for democracy that time.

Jinglejangle69

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I can't help but think that there is a lot more to Leo than meets the public eye. I don't think it is possible to be complacent and then sort of meander your way to the Teashops office. It just does not happen that way.

You would have to imagine that it gives Mickie Martin such a headache when he is staring into the ceiling at quarter past four in the morning, it must feel awful. He is just unlucky, I never doubted his work ethic, but people will always tar him with the stains of the corrupted FF party of the noughties. He was minister for health when the smoking ban was introduced, he always appears to foot the blame for all the knife edge moments in Irish politics. He basically is very unlucky and you need a bit of luck in politics, especially in Ireland.

With Varadkar I always feel he creates his own luck. He always seems ahead of whatever scandal the opposition creates. He is cuter than the rest of them. Hardly remarkable mind you.

Don’t be fooled by Michael.



https://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/11/so-why-did-that-money-end-up-in-your-wifes-account-mr-martin/

“So, Why Did That Money End Up In Your Wife’s Bank Account, Mr Martin?”

KaneToad

tonycascarino wrote: »

Retire, get a massive pension and other perks at the grand old age of 40. He will have plenty of time to meet his hero Kylie Minogue then.

He won't get a pension at 40.

Jamie2k9

Yurt! wrote: »

There is a big enough Coveney faction in the parliamentary party to make him the inevitable FG leader after an election defeat.

A good thing probably, Leo has been a very watery Taoiseach and a few years in most people don't know what he's about. He's an aloof CEO / managerial type. Looking at him on the television, I just don't get the sense he cares all that much - kind of like he's managing an account rather than leading a nation.

If I recall correctly Coveney almost lost his seat in 2016 but yeah he will get it if elected as Leo isn't liked by many in FG based on last contest.

KaneToad

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Don’t be fooled by Michael.



https://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/11/so-why-did-that-money-end-up-in-your-wifes-account-mr-martin/

“So, Why Did That Money End Up In Your Wife’s Bank Account, Mr Martin?”

Martin is old school FF.

What really needs to happy is a merger of the two centrist parties FF & FG. We, the country, would benefit from having a higher concentration of 'decent' politicians in the one cabinet: Pascal Donohue, Michael McGrath, Simon Coveney, Darragh O'Brien, Richard Bruton...etc

It would allow us to lose the dross that is Timmy Dooley, Barry Cowen, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, Niall Collins, Michael Martin, Regina Doherty...

IAMAMORON

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Don’t be fooled by Michael.



https://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/11/so-why-did-that-money-end-up-in-your-wifes-account-mr-martin/

“So, Why Did That Money End Up In Your Wife’s Bank Account, Mr Martin?”

Sloppy enough. In 2011 they still had not really copped on how to cover up or stash their backhanders. I am amazed that he got away with that one. The party was so badly riddled with corruption at the time, he just got the shoulder shrugging treatment. Which is unusual for Martin considering how unlucky he generally is.

I think the fact that it was so blatant that people just kind of laughed and shook their heads. They had had enough at that time, he got away it because everyone assumed he had gormlessly dumped the money with his wife. It was so foolish that people assumed he was going to resign, he winged it though, fair play.

What is even more ludicrous is that EFFEFFERS don't believe the PR squad in Fine Gael will pop this up as soon as the election campaign gets tasty. What clowns.

Loafing Oaf

IAMAMORON wrote: »

What is even more ludicrous is that EFFEFFERS don't believe the PR squad in Fine Gael will pop this up as soon as the election campaign gets tasty. What clowns.

I don't remember much being made of it at the last election. Tbh the sums involved are so small, even for the time, it was always hard to build a head of steam around the story. It would probably be forgotten now if it wasn't for the opportunity it afford for quips about "the money was just resting in the wife's account."

Jinglejangle69

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I don't remember much being made of it at the last election. Tbh the sums involved are so small, even for the time, it was always hard to build a head of steam around the story. It would probably be forgotten now if it wasn't for the opportunity it afford for quips about "the money was just resting in the wife's account."

Second point in that link is interesting to.

Do you think if a current government minister ended up with a cheque in their wife’s account from a “donation” and they said they don’t know how it got there that there wouldn’t be uproar?

Loafing Oaf

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Second point in that link is interesting to.

Do you think if a current government minister ended up with a cheque in their wife’s account from a “donation” and they said they don’t know how it got there that there wouldn’t be uproar?

If it happened this year, probably, but would also apply to someone on the FF frontbench.

Jinglejangle69

Jinglejangle69 wrote: »

Second point in that link is interesting to.

Do you think if a current government minister ended up with a cheque in their wife’s account from a “donation” and they said they don’t know how it got there that there wouldn’t be uproar?

If I presented a cheque to a bank that WASN'T made out to MaryAnne Person, it wouldn’t be accepted.

JP Liz V1

tuxy wrote: »

Leo will be working in Europe if he can secure any position that wouldn't be seen as a massive step down.

He loves the spotlight media attention, I'm sure reality tv would welcome him

IAMAMORON

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I don't remember much being made of it at the last election. Tbh the sums involved are so small, even for the time, it was always hard to build a head of steam around the story. It would probably be forgotten now if it wasn't for the opportunity it afford for quips about "the money was just resting in the wife's account."

Yes it is definitely small onions. But it will always just be sitting there on his resume for all time. Everyone knows that his paws were as dirty as the rest of his party colleagues, as I said he got lucky for once.

In the meantime Leo delivers gay marriage, abortion and a newer better Ireland. New voters are going to identify with this a lot more than Mickie stashing his few quid in his missus's bank account where no one else can find it.

It stinks really and everyone knows it. I actually don't think he is a crook, but even worse I think he was foolish enough to play and tag along with the shenanigans. That's what stinks worse, that he didn't even need to, he was just saving face with the rest of the greed. Essentially he is a sheep rather than a leader, the truth comes out in the end. This for me would stop me endorsing him as a Teashop.

The biggest obstacle Martin faces is convincing the Ireland of 2020 that he can offer something new. I don't think he can either convince them or actually offer them anything new. That's the real problem the effeffers face, they are not moving with the times and offering voters viable alternatives.

Suckit

IAMAMORON wrote: »

In the meantime Leo delivers gay marriage, abortion and a newer better Ireland. New voters are going to identify with this a lot more than Mickie stashing his few quid in his missus's bank account where no one else can find it.

Really?

You think Leo delivered them, or was just at the helm when they went through?
If there was a title (I doubt there is) for the most pathetic Taoiseach, I would imagine Leo is in the top two. I can't think who would join him, but I was trying to be as fair as possible.

joseywhales

Suckit wrote: »

Really?

You think Leo delivered them, or was just at the helm when they went through?
If there was a title (I doubt there is) for the most pathetic Taoiseach, I would imagine Leo is in the top two. I can't think who would join him, but I was trying to be as fair as possible.

If he is responsible for the health care system then he is also responsible for the good outcomes, you can't just attribute the bad stories and ignore the good stuff.

If 'big if', he is Ireland's only non corrupt taoiseach that would make him Ireland's most successful leader by default, even if he did nothing. He doesn't strike me as corrupt but I guess it's hard to know.

I mean are we to believe he was worse for Ireland than Haughey or Bertie?

is_that_so

Suckit wrote: »

Really?

You think Leo delivered them, or was just at the helm when they went through?
If there was a title (I doubt there is) for the most pathetic Taoiseach, I would imagine Leo is in the top two. I can't think who would join him, but I was trying to be as fair as possible.

Post-Lemass Bruton, Reynolds and Cowan stand out as being weak. Varadkar does have those wins. Attempting to hold a referendum is no guarantee they'll pass. Many never even get that far and quite a good few, which should have passed, have failed.
I am amused at the personality contest people seem to imagine in Irish politics. A quick glance at our leaders is not at all inspiring. Most voters will look at local TDs and options first, some will be party stalwarts, some will be seduced by promises and some will just punish parties. Anyone who's choosing alternatives because of the leader is either disaffected or would probably never vote for them in the first place.

Kermit.de.frog

If the Irish people put FF back in after what they did to this country then they deserve all they are going to get.

X111111111111

He's been an utter disaster as leader. Under his tenure the rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer. Health service a joke, no justice system to speak of, lack of Gardai, rent crisis, housing crisis, promise to help the early risers that turned out to be a sick joke etc..

The guy is a total and complete fraud.

iamwhoiam

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

If the Irish people put FF back in after what they did to this country then they deserve all they are going to get.

So who do you suggest ? FG sat around talked about change and did nothing .
Meantime we have thousands of homeless , a hospital which is spiralling out of control ,businesses going to the wall because nothing is being done about the compensation culture , TD cheating the system with no consequences . Our health system failing the ones who need it , our welfare state encouraging people to leech off it

. I could go on but I for one will never vote FG again

Augme

Suckit wrote: »

Really?

You think Leo delivered them, or was just at the helm when they went through?
If there was a title (I doubt there is) for the most pathetic Taoiseach, I would imagine Leo is in the top two. I can't think who would join him, but I was trying to be as fair as possible.

He delivered in the referendums for them. And if Fianna fail were in government I don't think that would have happened, especially repeling the 8th amendment.

Kermit.de.frog

FG, nor anyone, to this day can't do anything due to the national bankruptcy in 2010.

We are still in the legacy of the economic collapse which was brought about by the mismanagement of the country by FF.

The legacy will be with us for decades.