Is Ireland ready for its first openly gay Taoiseach?

Nomis21 · 16-02-2017 4:42pm #1

Enda Kenny looks like he is on his way out.

Leo Varadkar is the bookies favourite to replace him.

Is Ireland ready for its first openly gay Taoiseach?

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir in Iceland was the first openly gay person in the world to be elected head of government in 2009.

judeboy101 · 16-02-2017 4:44pm

Isn't Michael d Higgins openly gay?

RainMakerToo · 16-02-2017 4:45pm

Ready for a gay Taoiseach - sure
Ready for Leo as Taoiseach - not a chance

baby and crumble · 16-02-2017 4:45pm

I was just thinking about this earlier.

In all honesty I've heard nothing said from any quarter about the fact the Varadkar is gay. People seem to like or dislike him for entirely other reasons. Say what you like about his policies but he is a very good politician. He knows how and when to answer questions. His policies in health weren't the best but they certainly weren't the worst. He's done very good things in the DSP if you ask me. Not perfect but then no-one is. He's far easier to listen to than Coveney.

baby and crumble · 16-02-2017 4:46pm

judeboy101 wrote: »

Isn't Michael d Higgins openly gay?

Lol what? The man has a wife and kids and has been happily married to said wife for many many many years.

DredFX · 16-02-2017 4:50pm

RainMakerToo wrote: »

Ready for a gay Taoiseach - sure
Ready for Leo as Taoiseach - not a chance

I'm sure the left-wing media would respect such a sentiment and not skew it into a symptom of a homophobic Ireland.

16-02-2017 4:51pm

I think at this point in time no one actually cares about his sexuality. His politics and performance in government is what people will care about. He is significantly better than most others who might qualify for the job.

L1011 · 16-02-2017 4:55pm

I think he'd be Europe's first non-white head of Government also if this came to pass.

Problem is FF are unlikely to support FG if they have someone more electable in charge - that's the biggest potential roadblock.

titan18 · 16-02-2017 4:55pm

Wouldn't even cross my mind about him being gay. Think he's one of the most qualified there to do it

Nomis21 · 16-02-2017 4:57pm

I actually think that being Gay will add to his appeal. At least guaranteed 10% of the vote for that reason alone I would think.

More than that though his election will show the World that being Gay in Ireland is no bar to career success.

coolbeans · 16-02-2017 4:58pm

DredFX wrote: »

RainMakerToo wrote: »

Ready for a gay Taoiseach - sure
Ready for Leo as Taoiseach - not a chance

I'm sure the left-wing media would respect such a sentiment and not skew it into a symptom of a homophobic Ireland.

Ah stop. This isn't Fox News or Breitbart comments section. You'll be calling us all "libtards" next. ,ðŸ˜

Nomis21 · 16-02-2017 4:59pm

judeboy101 wrote: »

Isn't Michael d Higgins openly gay?

He didn't come out yet. Don't hold your breath.

coolbeans · 16-02-2017 5:00pm

L1011 wrote: »

I think he'd be Europe's first non-white head of Government also if this came to pass.

Problem is FF are unlikely to support FG if they have someone more electable in charge - that's the biggest potential roadblock.

Looks fairly white to me...

baby and crumble · 16-02-2017 5:12pm

coolbeans wrote: »

Looks fairly white to me...

His Dad is Indian. I'm fairly sure that he embraces that part of his culture.

ForestFire · 16-02-2017 5:13pm

Don't see any issue or why we should even be discussing it?

This is why there are so many ...isim's in the world, social media and bringing it into discussions for no reasons...just get on with it

kunst nugget · 16-02-2017 5:16pm

coolbeans wrote: »

Looks fairly white to me...

His father is Indian. His mother is from Waterford. They're so white down there they're nearly blue so it balances out…

mockingjay · 16-02-2017 5:16pm

If he can do the job that's all I care about - his private life is his own.

StupidLikeAFox · 16-02-2017 5:48pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

I was just thinking about this earlier.

In all honesty I've heard nothing said from any quarter about the fact the Varadkar is gay. People seem to like or dislike him for entirely other reasons. Say what you like about his policies but he is a very good politician. He knows how and when to answer questions. His policies in health weren't the best but they certainly weren't the worst. He's done very good things in the DSP if you ask me. Not perfect but then no-one is. He's far easier to listen to than Coveney.

I agree with this.

I remember when he came out in an interview on radio. There was a general outpouring of between "meh" and "more power to him" and it was a non-issue after about two days.

In fairness to Leo, he doesn't put himself out there as a gay politician, in the sense that David Norris would for instance.

mansize · 16-02-2017 5:51pm

kunst nugget wrote: »

His father is Indian. His mother is from Waterford. They're so white down there they're nearly blue so it balances out…

Neither a hurling stronghold ...
(Sorry deise boys ðŸ˜)

firemansam4 · 16-02-2017 6:04pm

Well if he does become Taoiseach it wont be for long. FF will pull the plug on this government soon enough and are looking like dead certs to lead the next government. FG should have ditched Enda a long time ago, there are many reasons why they are loosing support but Enda would be a big part of the reason IMO.

Red Kev · 16-02-2017 6:17pm

L1011 wrote: »

I think he'd be Europe's first non-white head of Government also if this came to pass.
.

Kublai Khan may disagree

tayto lover · 16-02-2017 6:21pm

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

I agree with this.

I remember when he came out in an interview on radio. There was a general outpouring of between "meh" and "more power to him" and it was a non-issue after about two days.

In fairness to Leo, he doesn't put himself out there as a gay politician, in the sense that David Norris would for instance.

Good. People should keep their sexual preferences to themselves.

L1011 · 16-02-2017 6:21pm

I was trying to decide whether Turkey or one of the former SSRs would count...

Annasopra · 16-02-2017 6:29pm

Nomis21 wrote: »

He didn't come out yet. Don't hold your breath.

Eh he's married with kids

flowerbattle · 16-02-2017 6:30pm

I don't think it matters really. I mean Zappone was the first openly Lesbian minister/TD and no one really cared about that last year. And there wasn't much of a fanfare in 2011 when Dominic Hannigan and John Lyons were elected. It's interesting I guess and shows how sexuality isn't a barrier to getting into high office in Ireland but it's not really a huge deal.

Annasopra · 16-02-2017 6:30pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Good. People should keep their sexual preferences to themselves.

Fine.

We should ban every single expression of heterosexuality as well.

mansize · 16-02-2017 6:36pm

Leo was Minister and put before Zapponnr was even elected

Maybe he should hide his partner on State visits, seeing as it's only a "preference "

nhunter100 · 16-02-2017 6:37pm

Nomis21 wrote:

Leo Varadkar is the bookies favourite to replace him.

Bookies never get it wrong......

mansize · 16-02-2017 6:37pm

Maybe people should keep their crisp preferences to themselves!

tayto lover · 16-02-2017 6:37pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Fine.

We should ban every single expression of heterosexuality as well.

Nobody used the word "ban" only you. But i agree with the rest.

jameorahiely · 16-02-2017 6:49pm

I don't understand what Ireland needs "to get ready" for? What does his sexuality have to do with the job?

tayto lover · 16-02-2017 7:06pm

jameorahiely wrote: »

I don't understand what Ireland needs "to get ready" for? What does his sexuality have to do with the job?

Exactly. Michael D is doing a great job and never refers to the fact that he's gay. He has no need to.

Nomis21 · 16-02-2017 7:20pm

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Eh he's married with kids

Many Gay people are married with kids.

Nomis21 · 16-02-2017 7:22pm

jameorahiely wrote: »

I don't understand what Ireland needs "to get ready" for? What does his sexuality have to do with the job?

There are people in this country that will not vote for him because he is Gay. The question is whether there are still enough of these people around to prevent his election.

nhunter100 · 16-02-2017 7:24pm

Nomis21 wrote:

There are people in this country that will not vote for him because he is Gay. The question is whether there are still enough of these people around to prevent his election.

The only people that can vote for Leo as Taoiseach are FG members and the parliamentary party. The rest of the country gets no say.

the14thwarrior · 16-02-2017 7:26pm

no one cares. whether he's gay black white or blue. staight crooked. (ha thats a joke).
just get the country out of this mess.

Annasopra · 16-02-2017 7:26pm

Tayto lover your posts have been reported for trolling. I tent to agree. Dont post in the thread again.

Donal55 · 16-02-2017 7:29pm

kunst nugget wrote: »

His father is Indian. His mother is from Waterford. They're so white down there they're nearly blue so it balances out…

Its the Waterford part that worries me.

jobbridge4life · 16-02-2017 8:26pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Nobody used the word "ban" only you. But i agree with the rest.

So no weddings then? No romantic novels, dates etc? How do we deal with the biggest product of sexuality, children? Do we randomly distribute children so as to keep everyone guessing?

I'm not ready for Leo as T-shock. I don't respect him pretty much, at all.

Sleeper12 · 16-02-2017 8:33pm

baby and crumble wrote:

Lol what? The man has a wife and kids and has been happily married to said wife for many many many years.

Many gay men have wives and children.

ted1 · 16-02-2017 8:36pm

Nomis21 wrote: »

I actually think that being Gay will add to his appeal. At least guaranteed 10% of the vote for that reason alone I would think.

More than that though his election will show the World that being Gay in Ireland is no bar to career success.

I'd hope that's untrue and people would vote him on merit rather than sexuality. Hard to look for equality when you vote purely on sexuality

Sleeper12 · 16-02-2017 8:40pm

StupidLikeAFox wrote:

In fairness to Leo, he doesn't put himself out there as a gay politician, in the sense that David Norris would for instance.

Not disagreeing with you but the flip side of David Norris wearing his gayness on the outside is he genuinely broke new ground and opened doors for gay people. He was openly gay when it was illegal.

dudara · 16-02-2017 8:42pm

I genuinely had forgotten he was gay. That's how little it matters

LG1234 · 16-02-2017 8:43pm

People saying he's done well with Health and DSP? Has he? What's he done in DSP?

He failed in health or wasn't the breath of fresh air everyone thought he would be.

For me he's one of them people that the more I see of him the less impressed I am by him

jonnny68 · 16-02-2017 8:44pm

His sexuality to me is of no interest the fact that he's a member of the corrupt shambles that is FG is, FF and Labour equally as bad, this country needs radical change and that means not voting for the above corrupt parasitic leeches

Sleeper12 · 16-02-2017 8:51pm

LG1234 wrote:

People saying he's done well with Health and DSP? Has he? What's he done in DSP?

I'm not a fan of his but in fairness no one has done well in Health going back 20 years or more. It's a tough office to have

16-02-2017 9:07pm

Ireland is certainly ready for a gay Taoiseach but I'm not sure Varadkar will be it. He can speak well when he wants but there's very little substance there imo. I always thought he was very arrogant and unlikeable when he was an opposition TD but he seems to have mellowed out in government; I presume he realised that it's far easier to be in opposition and talk about how things should be done than to be in power and actually carry them out.

It would certainly be nice to have an LGBT Taoiseach but that should by no means be a deciding factor. in voting for someone If it's a choice between Varadkar and Simon Coveney for our next leader then I think Coveney would (marginally) be the better choice.

mansize · 16-02-2017 10:33pm

nhunter100 wrote: »

Nomis21 wrote:

There are people in this country that will not vote for him because he is Gay. The question is whether there are still enough of these people around to prevent his election.

The only people that can vote for Leo as Taoiseach are FG members and the parliamentary party. The rest of the country gets no say.

All TD's get to vote tbf. He needs independents support

jimmycrackcorm · 16-02-2017 10:50pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Not disagreeing with you but the flip side of David Norris wearing his gayness on the outside is he genuinely broke new ground and opened doors for gay people. He was openly gay when it was illegal.

Norris is to be respected for that but he just comes across as very pretentious and elitist. In comparison Leo comes across as very down to earth.

His sexuality to me is of no interest the fact that he's a member of the corrupt shambles that is FG is, FF and Labour equally as bad, this country needs radical change and that means not voting for the above corrupt parasitic leeches

.

But we don't have a real alternative choice to vote for, and TBH I think after the marriage equality referendum, I think it would send out a very strong message about Ireland were we to follow up with a Gay taoiseach.

L1011 · 16-02-2017 11:06pm

mansize wrote: »

All TD's get to vote tbf. He needs independents support

Not to be the leader of FG they don't; which I think is what they meant there

The reality is that the new leader of FG will need FF support first and foremost - and its unlikely they'll get that with current polling figures.

ZeroThreat · 16-02-2017 11:59pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

I was just thinking about this earlier.

In all honesty I've heard nothing said from any quarter about the fact the Varadkar is gay. People seem to like or dislike him for entirely other reasons. Say what you like about his policies but he is a very good politician. He knows how and when to answer questions. His policies in health weren't the best but they certainly weren't the worst. He's done very good things in the DSP if you ask me. Not perfect but then no-one is. He's far easier to listen to than Coveney.

Very good politician? IMO he epitomises the 'style over substance' type. Always wanting to comment on other ministries bar the one he occupies at the time...

Is Ireland ready for its first openly gay Taoiseach?

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