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Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Why no politician should ever have to do what Leo Varadkar did ever again

Analysis: Yesterday was a seminal moment in Irish public life, but it shouldn’t be the norm.

LEO VARADKAR’S SEXUALITY has never been a secret to many of those working in the Leinster House bubble.

Lots of people knew, although there were plenty who didn’t. One Fine Gael TD was was visibly surprised to learn about it when told late last year.

For those that did know, the widely-held view was that it was no one’s business except his own. But at the same time there was a feeling that if Varadkar wanted to be leader of Fine Gael and potentially Taoiseach he would have to deal with the matter publicly at some point.

Such a situation is hardly ideal, nor should it arise in a properly functioning and equal society.

But then this is Ireland, a country where homosexual acts were criminal less than 25 years ago and where there is a constitutional ban on abortion of any kind, even in the most heartbreaking and tragic cases. Socially, we’re not as liberal a society as some of us like to think, nor have we made the kind of progress that some believe we have.

So the announcement of the country’s first openly gay cabinet minister was always going to be a thing.

An RTÉ radio interview was always envisioned, the only surprise yesterday was that it was Miriam O’Callaghan and not Marian Finucane, but it’s reported this morning that O’Callaghan had been chasing a more personal interview with Varadkar for sometime.

A person’s private life is exactly that. The chances are there are are more than the now four openly gay TDs working in Leinster House. Will we find out about them? Maybe. Does it matter if we don’t? Absolutely not.

Those who have spoken publicly about their sexuality have done so for a variety of reasons. But as Labour TD John Lyons told TheJournal.ie in an interview last month: “I would like to see a day when I don’t have to talk about those type of things at all.”

That day edged a little closer yesterday with Varadkar’s searingly honest and forthright interview with Miriam O’Callaghan yesterday.

“It’s not something that defines me, I’m not a half-Indian politician or a doctor politician, I’m not a gay politician for that matter, it’s just part of who I am,” he said.

But the fact is that Varadkar will always be known as the first openly gay cabinet minister in Ireland. He could yet become  the first gay Taoiseach. It will not define him, nor should it, but it will always be noted.

This is because Ireland is a country still grappling with the enormous social change of the past 25 years. Later this year a debate and referendum on the question of legalising same-sex marriage will take place.

People on both sides are fearing what could be a brutal and divisive campaign that will bring out extremes on both sides. Though opinion polls show huge support for the referendum’s passage many believe it will be a lot closer in the end.

The Yes side believe that Varadkar’s decision to go public about his sexuality will boost the campaign but if they want to win it should not be about personalities but evidence-based arguments. There is a degree of complacency on the Yes side that needs to be tackled now if they want the referendum to pass.

As for Varadkar, what happened yesterday was fundamentally a good thing for the country, a seminal moment in Irish public life.

But hopefully it will be the last time a minister has to do such an interview.

Read: “It’s not something that defines me”: Health Minister Leo Varadkar on being gay

Read: ‘His courage will inspire many others who would like to be open about who they are’

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87 Comments
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    Mute Ron North
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:16 AM

    Clearly the shop assistant has never been to an orgy.

    361
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    Mute Joan Needham
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    Jan 26th 2018, 10:39 AM

    @Ron North: Imagine though that that was your biggest problem in life….trying to get a jar of chocolate spread for €3 cheaper…they mustn’t have too much to worry about

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    Mute Stephen Kennedy
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    Jan 26th 2018, 2:20 PM

    It’s the last stock of the original recipe…your welcome

    18
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    Mute Bewarethebeardz
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:00 AM

    Depressing.

    104
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    Mute Alphonsa
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    Jan 26th 2018, 10:04 AM

    @Bewarethebeardz: nuts

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    Mute Gillian Scully
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    Jan 26th 2018, 8:52 AM

    So if I put my unopened jar on Ebay how much might I make?

    51
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    Mute Tom Jennings
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    Jan 26th 2018, 8:55 AM

    @Gillian Scully: €1.41 less Postage

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    Mute Ciara Baines
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    Jan 26th 2018, 8:56 AM

    @Gillian Scully: Probably not much. The reason they went mad was because they could buy in bulk at a discounted rate and get a number of jars for the price they’d usually pay for 1. Can’t imagine one jar would garner much interest.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Jan 26th 2018, 8:59 AM

    @Gillian Scully: Be like everyone else and charge 20 for postage.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Jan 26th 2018, 8:59 AM

    @Gillian Scully:

    I think it is a loss you would be making

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    Mute The Girl
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:14 AM

    If they could sell it at reduced price, and still make a profit, why are they selling it at the original price? Sales frenzy and prices just baffles me. I like them though but I always feel cheated at the same time.

    41
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    Mute Eoin Bond
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    Jan 26th 2018, 6:21 PM

    @The Girl: so they can do something like this and have big profit surges

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    Mute P-double-U
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    Jan 26th 2018, 11:56 AM

    I hope this doesn’t ‘spread’

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    Mute David Dickson
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    Jan 26th 2018, 12:09 PM

    @P-double-U: you ruined it with ‘ ‘

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    Mute Niccolo Saccho
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:05 AM

    Another day, another fight for survival for Europe’s poor.

    50
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    Mute Emilio Butler
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:16 AM

    @Niccolo Saccho: Don’t take it to seriously, have a Snickers or a Kit Kat

    30
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    Mute DaisyChainsaw
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    Jan 26th 2018, 1:57 PM

    @Emilio Butler: FrankDapavia or Julie Burn could fetch one for him…

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    Mute Vincent Sharpe
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:35 AM

    ” Let Them Eat Cake”

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    Mute The Bull McCabe
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    Jan 26th 2018, 10:01 AM

    What a time to be alive

    18
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    Mute Paul Culligan
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:41 AM

    Smear campaign.

    16
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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Jan 26th 2018, 12:52 PM

    It’s all down to them not having a minister for Nutella.

    18
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    Mute Anthony Clark
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    Jan 26th 2018, 12:16 PM

    They are probably clearing the stock of the Original – Real Nutella – before bringing in the new recipe one with the cheaper ingredients.

    Maybe the real reason?

    ps. Debenhams Blanch was selling it for €3 when their custom label printer ran out of paper – but there was loads of them on the shelf with few takers.

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    Mute bren
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    Jan 26th 2018, 1:42 PM

    Is no one interested in washing clothes economically any more?

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    Mute Al Coholic
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    Jan 26th 2018, 11:21 AM

    Going nutella over discounted Nutella. People are pathetic

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    Mute The flute smoker
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:42 AM

    Moochers

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    Mute Remi Thomas
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    Jan 26th 2018, 7:39 PM

    French cuisine?

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    Mute JJ Halford
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    Jan 26th 2018, 12:24 PM

    Nuts

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    Mute tk0CXKzL
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    Jan 26th 2018, 6:49 PM

    This isn’t funny it’s pathetic and depressing

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    Mute John Smith
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    Jan 26th 2018, 1:20 PM

    Let them eat nutella.

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    Mute Darren Farrell
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    Jan 26th 2018, 9:49 PM

    Wonder if the squirrels were there

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