Could the son of an Indian immigrant become Ireland's first gay Prime Minister?

[Blackleaf]

A gay GP whose father arrived in Ireland from India is the leading candidate to be Ireland's next prime minister (Taoiseach).

Leo Varadkar, 38, is challenging Simon Coveney to replace Enda Kenny as the leader of the Fine Gael party who are currently leading a minority government in Ireland.

Kenny, who is currently Taoiseach, announced that he will not lead his party into the next general election.

Could the son of an Indian immigrant become Ireland's first gay Prime Minister? Surge in support for 38-year-old compared to Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron

Leo Varadkar is leading the race to take over as leader of the Fine Gael party
Fine Gael are leading Ireland's minority goverment with opposition support
Varadkar, whose father is an Indian GP, recently announed that he is gay
The Dubin-born politician is challenging Simon Covney for the part leaderhip

By Darren Boyle for MailOnline
28 May 2017

A gay GP whose father arrived in Ireland from India is the leading candidate to be Ireland's next prime minister (Taoiseach).

Leo Varadkar, 38, is challenging Simon Coveney to replace Enda Kenny as the leader of the Fine Gael party who are currently leading a minority government in Ireland.

Kenny, who is currently Taoiseach, announced that he will not lead his party into the next general election.

Leo Varadkar, right, is running to become leader of Fine Gael who are currently leading a minority government in Ireland against his only challenger Simon Coveney, left

Varadkar, left, is bidding to be the first openly gay prime minister in Irish history

In response to Kenny's resignation, support for Fine Gael has increased in the opinion polls.

However, Saturday's survey was the second poll in two days that showed Fine Gael had regained its standing as Ireland's most popular party, a position it now holds in a majority of opinion polls.

Fine Gael support increased to 29 per cent from 24 per cent a month ago in the Sunday Business Post/Red C poll, while the main opposition party Fianna Fail fell seven points to 21 per cent.

The left-wing Sinn Fein, the country's third biggest party, also saw its support slip to 15 per cent from 18 per cent.

The survey of 1,000 people was taken between May 19 and May 25, just after the Fine Gael leadership contest began. Red C chief executive Richard Colwell said it reflected huge media attention on the party and it would have been a surprise if Fine Gael had not got a boost.

However, he said the shift in support was heavily concentrated among under-35s, a potentially encouraging development for Fine Gael who hope their likely next leader, 38-year-old Leo Varadkar, can broaden the party's support base.

It will choose on Friday between Varadkar, who would become Ireland's first openly gay leader and its first of Asian immigrant descent, and fellow minister Simon Coveney. The winner is set to succeed Kenny as prime minister shortly afterwards.

The current Fine Gael-run minority government, which was formed a year ago and relies on Fianna Fail to abstain on key votes to govern, is due to run until the end of 2018.

Leo Varadkar, 38, is challenging Simon Coveney to replace Enda Kenny as the leader of the Fine Gael party who are currently leading a minority government in Ireland

Read more: Leo Varadkar heads Fine Gael election contest | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[MHz]

You mean 'openly gay' don't you?

 

[Blackleaf]

You mean 'openly gay' don't you?

Ireland's only had 13 Taoiseachs since it seceded from the United Kingdom in 1922 (W.T. Cosgrave, de Valera, Costello, Lemass, Lynch, L. Cosgrave, Haughey, FitzGerald, Reynolds, Bruton, Ahern, Cowen, Kenny), so the chances of any of them being batty boys is slim.

 

[mentalfloss]

The horror

 

[DaSleeper]

As long as he is not long winded like Blackloaf or boring like you......

 

[Blackleaf]

Leo Varadkar is set to become the Republic of Ireland's next Taoiseach (Prime Minister) after winning the leadership of the Fine Gael party.

The 38-year-old will become the first gay Taoiseach and will also be the country's youngest ever leader.

Mr Varadkar beat his rival, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, with 60% of the votes to lead Fine Gael, the biggest party in the coalition government.

He will succeed Enda Kenny as leader of the centre-right party within weeks.

Leo Varadkar: Ireland set to have first gay PM

2 June 2017
BBC News

At 38, Leo Varadkar is set to become Ireland's youngest ever Prime Minister

Leo Varadkar is set to become the Republic of Ireland's next Taoiseach (Prime Minister) after winning the leadership of the Fine Gael party.

The 38-year-old will become the first gay Taoiseach and will also be the country's youngest ever leader.

Mr Varadkar beat his rival, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, with 60% of the votes to lead Fine Gael, the biggest party in the coalition government.

He will succeed Enda Kenny as leader of the centre-right party within weeks.

Leo Varadkar waved to supporters as he accepted the Fine Gael leadership in Dublin

The former GP is the son of an Irish nurse and a doctor from India and much of the media coverage of his victory has focused on Mr Varadkar's background, age and sexuality.

The former First Minister of Northern Ireland, DUP leader Arlene Foster, has spoken on the phone to congratulate Mr Varadkar. He has also received a letter from British Prime Minister Theresa May.

'Prejudice has no hold'

Following the announcement on Friday evening, the new Fine Gael leader said he was "honoured" to accept the "enormous challenge" ahead of him with humility.

"If my election shows anything it's that prejudice has no hold in this republic," he said.

"When my father travelled 5,000 miles to build a new home in Ireland, I doubt he ever dreamed his son would grow up to be its leader."

He said Simon Coveney had gained his and the party's admiration for his "principled and spirited" campaign and he looked forward to working with him to bring Fine Gael and Ireland forward.

"Any child growing up in Ireland now, I hope, looks at me and my unlikely story and my background, and everything about me, and perhaps says to themselves that there is no office in this state that I can't aspire to, nothing that they can't do if they believe in themselves," he said.

"But our job as a party is to make sure that every person in our country actually has those opportunities, because we don't have equality of opportunity in this country, there is great inequality of opportunity in this country, but as a party I want to dedicate ourselves to building a republic of opportunity."

Leo Varadkar was congratulated by Simon Coveney after Friday's result

He said restoring devolution in Northern Ireland and dealing with Brexit would be immediate priorities.

"Northern Ireland will leave the European Union with the United Kingdom, but we do think there should be special arrangements for Northern Ireland," he said.

"It is a special place and we would like to work with the new executive when it is formed to define what that is.

"But particularly, what we'd like to see is there to remain as close a relationship as possible between the north and south of Ireland and an invisible or non-existent economic border in particular and Northern Ireland remaining in as many EU programmes as possible."

Mr Varadkar also paid tribute to Mr Kenny for passing on a party and country "in a much better place than he found it".

The leadership was decided in an electoral college system that gave 65% of the vote to the Fine Gael parliamentary party - made up of 73 TDs (members of the Irish assembly), senators and MEPs.

The party's 21,000 rank-and-file members had 25% of the vote, and 235 local representatives had 10%.

Mr Varadkar, who came out as gay in the run up to the 2015 same-sex marriage referendum, has been in charge of the welfare system.

He has come to personify the liberalisation of a country which was once regarded as one of Europe's most socially conservative nations - homosexuality was illegal until 1993.

However, Mr Varadkar has come under criticism for his comments on progressive issues and workers' rights.

The new Fine Gael leader will have to be endorsed by the independent members of the minority coalition government before he becomes Taoiseach. That's expected to happen later this month.

Enda Kenny, 66, who led the party for 15 years and was elected Taoiseach in 2011, resigned as Fine Gael leader in May.

Voting took place this week around the country.

The Fine Gael leadership result was announced in Dublin's Mansion House

Mr Coveney joked that "my children will be pleased" that he lost.

"My message is very clear - it's one of unity", he said, adding that Fine Gael "needs to be stronger, not in any way divided. This is a great party"

He said Mr Varadkar had "the potential to be a hugely successful leader of this party" and said he would do everything he could to make that happen."

Leo Varadkar: Ireland set to have first gay PM - BBC News

 

[Danbones]

Ah, the prima donald of arseland

He'll be taking as many seats as he can get!

Though we know Macron and Truduie are banker bend overs, so being compared to them is a bad sign for the peeps.

 

[Blackleaf]

Ah, the prima donald of arseland

He'll be taking as many seats as he can get!

Paddy fudge packer.

 

[Danbones]

Well to be fair, they imported...
so he is a banker planker, not an Irishman

 

[Blackleaf]

Well to be fair, they imported...
so he is a banker planker, not an Irishman

A bum-drilling, bog-trotting curry muncher.

 

[Danbones]

If you don't like them, why go there and colonize them?
lol, come to think of it

whose turn is it for colonization?

 

[Blackleaf]

If you don't like them, why go there and colonize them?
lol, come to think of it

whose turn is it for colonization?

We don't need to colonise the Republic of Ireland. Soon it will also leave the EU and voluntarily rejoin the United Kingdom.

 

[Curious Cdn]

We don't need to colonise the Republic of Ireland. Soon it will also leave the EU and voluntarily rejoin the United Kingdom.

You REALLY have no clue, do you?

 

[Blackleaf]

You REALLY have no clue, do you?

Republic should hold referendum on rejoining United Kingdom

The Irish News
20 July 2016

'The way things are going currently, it would be more viable for the Republic to rejoin the UK than stay on the outskirts of the EU'

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness wants a referendum on a united Ireland. Perhaps instead, the Republic should have a referendum on rejoining the UK dare it be said, given the panic it is now in over Brexit. Britain is out, the Republic feels isolated, alone and adrift on the outskirts of the EU. It no longer has an ally or a crutch it can rely on.

Already, Irish markets have taken a slide on news of a British withdrawal, with further serious connotations to come. Ireland, it seems, cannot separate its interests for Britain or the British without feeling the pinch, nor can Sinn Féin sell the idea of a referendum to get enough people in Northern Ireland or the Republic interested in it.

The Shinners have been foisting the idea of a united Ireland now for some time – again no sign of it any time soon. It is surprising that Sinn Féin and the wider republican movement do not spend all their time trying to bring about a referendum, as it is the only thing that will bring about a united Ireland, not a war of attrition or the arms or bombs of dissidents.

One could safely say – there is a long way to go before Northern Ireland says farewell to the UK, and ironically the Republic. The Republic’s nature is a country of convenience. On the one hand it may vote for a united Ireland if proposed, which is probable, but on the other hand is in dire straits about the British withdrawal. Irish attitudes to the British are contradictory and of the utmost convenience. The Republic wants nothing to do with the UK when it does not agree with it and likes to get heavily involved when its interests are at stake.

Republicans want a united Ireland and Northern Ireland’s place within the UK to be given up – of that there can be no doubt. However, they cannot achieve that realistically in Northern Ireland’s case and its dependency on the wider UK. Given the strain the London Treasury is in to fund Northern Ireland it is most unlikely that the Republic could afford it.

There would have to be years, if not decades, of negotiations if Northern Ireland was to leave the UK. It therefore goes without saying that any republican armed-struggle in Northern Ireland is futile in changing hearts and minds, as economics would rule the roost. Terrorism has no chance of changing anything.

The way things are going currently, it would be more viable for the Republic to rejoin the UK than stay on the outskirts of the EU without London to help it survive in the EU.

Republicans face a great dilemma in forging a united Ireland – go on detesting British rule in Northern Ireland, while at the same time needing British support to keep it going.

MAURICE FITZGERALD
Shanbally, Co Cork

Republic should hold referendum on rejoining United Kingdom - The Irish News

 

[Curious Cdn]

They haven't forgiven you for that famine thing, you know. Try again in about two thousand years.

 

[Blackleaf]

They haven't forgiven you for that famine thing, you know. Try again in about two thousand years.

That was back in the 1840s. They really need to get over it. They are happy enough, though, to be in political union with Germany, a country which murdered millions just 70-odd years ago.

The Republic of Ireland's future is back within the UK, and most of her 4.7 million people know it.

 

[Curious Cdn]

That was back in the 1840s. They really need to get over it. They are happy enough, though, to be in political union with Germany, a country which murdered millions just 70-odd years ago.

The Republic of Ireland's future is back within the UK, and most of her 4.7 million people know it.

Yes. I keep seeing morons posting on the internet about how the Jews should get over the holocaust because it was back in grandpa's time.

 

[Blackleaf]

Yes. I keep seeing morons posting on the internet about how the Jews should get over the holocaust because it was back in grandpa's time.

I've still not got over the Napoleonic Wars and cannot forgive the French. We therefore should not be in the EU with them. Thank God we are leaving.

Brexit opportunity for Republic to rejoin UK

April 5 2017
Belfast Telegraph

The sincerity of Theresa May, Britain's Prime Minister, should not be taken lightly, when she said she is a devout believer in delivering a fair and just society, for the people of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Surely this is a moment of opportunity to offer the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland an invitation to rejoin Britain?

The level-headed people of the present 26 counties of Ireland who possess any common sense must ask themselves if or when (where it is fair to assume, it's more when than if ) the European Union collapses, where do they go?

People like Gerry Adams and Nicola Sturgeon are hoodwinking the electorate by having the audacity that beggars imagination of mentioning the very words of 'national independence' when at the same time they are devout believers in EU membership, with their countries being governed by twenty seven foreign nations.

Should Ireland accept an invitation to join Britain, it would be the greatest beneficiary, for besides the economic benefits, the people of the 32 counties of Ireland would come together, and who could object to that?

Kircubbin

Brexit opportunity for Republic to rejoin UK - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

 

[JLM]

A gay GP whose father arrived in Ireland from India is the leading candidate to be Ireland's next prime minister (Taoiseach).

Leo Varadkar, 38, is challenging Simon Coveney to replace Enda Kenny as the leader of the Fine Gael party who are currently leading a minority government in Ireland.

Kenny, who is currently Taoiseach, announced that he will not lead his party into the next general election.

Could the son of an Indian immigrant become Ireland's first gay Prime Minister? Surge in support for 38-year-old compared to Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron

Leo Varadkar is leading the race to take over as leader of the Fine Gael party
Fine Gael are leading Ireland's minority goverment with opposition support
Varadkar, whose father is an Indian GP, recently announed that he is gay
The Dubin-born politician is challenging Simon Covney for the part leaderhip

By Darren Boyle for MailOnline
28 May 2017

A gay GP whose father arrived in Ireland from India is the leading candidate to be Ireland's next prime minister (Taoiseach).



Read more: Leo Varadkar heads Fine Gael election contest | Daily Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Perhaps a normal person's main concern would be in getting the person elected who has the ability and knowledge to perform the job properly and ignore all the other shit like colour, race, gender, creed and sexual orientation! I guess bigoted people find it hard to do that, Blacky!

 

[Blackleaf]

Perhaps a normal person's main concern would be in getting the person elected who has the ability and knowledge to perform the job properly and ignore all the other shit like colour, race, gender, creed and sexual orientation! I guess bigoted people find it hard to do that, Blacky!

I wonder if, had he been standing in an election, the mainly Catholic Irish people would have voted for a gayer.

Being a gayer was illegal there until 1993.