Fallon's Town Talk: Varadkar’s unexpected departure stuns the political world

The wheel comes full circle. One of my earliest memories of politics is an infamous speech in the Dáil in 1979 when the-then Fine Gael leader, Garret FitzGerald, referred to the ‘flawed pedigree’ of the Taoiseach-elect Charlie Haughey of Fianna Fáil. What stuck with me was the shock of broadcasting heavyweights like John Bowman and the late Brian Farrell at FitzGerald’s broadside.

In his eponymous biography of Haughey, the author Gary Murphy wrote about the hurt caused to the family, especially Haughey’s mother who, sitting in the Dáil gallery, had been enjoying the proudest day of her life until FitzGerald’s jarring choice of words. Murphy revealed that FitzGerald later apologised for his remarks and before their deaths, the two ardent foes made their peace with one another.

Many years later, a brash, abrasive newcomer in FG reckoned the worst insult he could throw at then-Taoiseach Brian Cowen was to compare him to Garret FitzGerald. That rising star was Leo Varadkar. His comments managed to annoy figures in both FG and FF.

Last Wednesday, Varadkar stunned the nation when he announced he was stepping down as Taoiseach. Later that day, he took Leaders’ Questions; Varadkar might have reasonably expected a modicum of decency from opposition politicians. Instead, as had befallen Haughey, FitzGerald and Cowen over the years, the opposition came to bury the departing Caesar, not to praise him. Their litany of criticism was ungracious and, even to those of us who were ultimately disappointed with Leo as Taoiseach, unfair.

Varadkar made a notable contribution to ensuring the EU stood resolutely behind Ireland and prevented a hard border returning on this island after the Brexit fiasco. His finest hour came in his authoritative handling of the first Covid-19 lockdown; the irony was that he was operating in the role of caretaker Taoiseach after a disastrous performance in the General Election which took place just before the pandemic hit.

Maybe it doesn’t suit any modern political leader to be compared to Haughey, but the comparisons between Charlie and Leo have some validity. Both were known by their first name and, while it was little remarked upon last week, Varadker was the most avowedly nationalist Taoiseach since Haughey. That was why he was demonised in the Tory press in a way that hasn’t been seen since Haughey’s heyday. They’ve never been able to cope with assertive Irish leaders.

However, Varadkar never had Haughey’s charisma, dark or otherwise. Indeed, he conspicuously lacked the common touch; apparently, this was more down to shyness than arrogance. The man who was brimming with ideas in opposition couldn’t get to grips with the great issues of this age: housing, homelessness and health.

His government oversaw the paradox of a booming economy which couldn’t prevent an exodus of the nation’s youth. Varadkar disputed the theory that the main reason why they couldn’t afford houses, but it is a major contributory factor to this modern surge in emigration.

Leo never connected with the voting public, much to the chagrin of the parliamentary party that propelled him to the FG leadership in the hope he would be an election-winning machine.

What was largely ignored at the time of his elevation to the Taoiseach’s job is that the FG membership, the grass-roots of the party, voted overwhelmingly for his opponent, Simon Coveney, in that race. Ultimately, their judgement proved shrewder than that of their elected representatives.

While burnishing the nationalist credentials of Fine Gael would have impressed the rank and file, the erstwhile right-wing politician adopted the liberal agenda with relish and sent the party lurching to the left on social issues.

As has happened with FF before them, Varadkar’s strategy failed lamentably. FG didn’t gain any votes with progressives while alienating many of their core votes who believed traditional policies were being abandoned.

Varadkar gradually became unrecognisable from the no-holds-barred, straight-talker of his early career. When the current coalition was formed Varadkar seemed bored with the office of Tanaiste; the presumption was he would be reinvigorated when he returned to the top job.

However, the old fire was gone. 11 years in government has taken its toll while, perhaps, Leo Varadkar is one of thousands of Irish people who have re-evaluated their lifestyles after enduring Covid-19 lockdowns. Eleven of his fellow FG TDs have also decided to retire from politics.

Varadkar is one of the few Taoisigh who fell on his sword before he was pushed. Only the most churlish, many of whom appear to sit on the opposition benches in the Dáil, will not wish him well in the future.