‘Varadkar wasn’t our choice’ - Local cllrs say outgoing Taoiseach and leader of FG wasn't grassroots pick

A NUMBER of Meath’s Fine Gael politicians have told of how Leo Varadkar was not the local party member's choice for Taoiseach when he was elected in 2017.

Varadkar shocked the world of politics when he announced his resignation for “personal and political” reasons last week.

Fine Gael Cllr Alan Tobin for Ashbourne says be believes Leo Varadkar stepped down as taoiseach and resigned as party leader because he “saw the writing on the wall” and left “before he was pushed.”

Speaking after the shock announcement made at Government Buildings last Wednesday Tobin said:

“I presume he sees the writing on the wall a little bit and wants to give someone else the opportunity rather than having to be pushed out because the numbers just aren't improving.

“In local elections it’s different, in Meath we punch above our weight. Nationally it will allow someone else come in and give energy.

“I did feel like he was lacking energy since he became Taoiseach the second time.

Tobin added that Varadkar “was never the members’ choice”.

“When he was elected that time as Taoiseach (2017), he got a resounding vote from the TDs, councillors and senators.

“When the hustings were done with Simon Coveney that time, the people on the ground then overwhelmingly supported Coveney.

“But because the election was weighted - as in a TD had more of a say over me - and then I had more of a say over a member - he won it hands down.

“When that happened I thought you need to go out and visit the branches and visit the constituencies, you need to get those people on your side and he never did.”

Former Fine Gael Cllr Noel French announced last year that he was standing down from the party and intended on contesting the local elections in June as an independent for Trim.

He says Leo's departure came as a “huge shock.”

“He (Leo Varadkar) was a canny operator who got himself elected as leader of the party,” he added.

“The membership and the councillors did not support him at the time.”

Commenting on his stint as leader French said:

“I just wonder how well he listened to people. I'm not sure he did a lot of listening to the ordinary people and their concerns. I think he was a bit out of touch with the ordinary man and woman in the street.

Laytown/Bettystown Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan said she was “as shocked as anyone” when the news broke. She added:

“It' no secret that I didn't vote for him (Leo) as leader, I supported Simon Coveney but I was one hundred percent behind him from the moment he was elected as our party leader.

“ He has served for a long time as a TD and a member of government and as a minister and as our Taoiseach and it can't be an easy job.”

Fine Gael Cllr for Ratoath MD, Maria Murphy said:

“It was a shock and something I wasn't expecting. I fully support him as leader of our party and as Taoiseach.

“I worked very closely with him when I started in politics and I was very fond of him and I always will be.

“He always said that when it was time to go, he'd go and wouldn't be in it for the long haul so he's made that decision and we have to respect that.

“Politics is always interesting, you don't know what it is going to bring!”