In accordance with the agreement that underpins coalition government, Leo Varadkar returned to the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minster) office.
Fine Gael leader Michael Martin has replaced him as Tanaiste (deputy pm) in the past two years.
The nomination of Mr Varadkar (43 years old) was made during a special sitting in the Irish Parliament. He then traveled to meet the president.
He stated to the House that the coalition was formed “in a spirit and togetherness” during the pandemic, and that he intended for this to continue.
He added that his mission was to “Provide hope and housing, economic opportunity, and a fair starting for all”.
2017 saw Leo Varadkar become Ireland’s youngest prime Minister and the first gay Taoiseach.
He is the son of an Indian doctor, and an Irish nurse.
Aoife Moore is the Sunday Times’ political correspondent in Ireland. She stated that Leo Varadkar was the first gay Taoiseach and the first minority Taoiseach, Rishi Sunak being the first minor prime minister… this is a new start.”
She said that Raji Sunak had already indicated that he wants to reach a Brexit deal… and that both men will enter this with that in mind.
It won’t be easy to sort it out when Unionists hold him personally liable for the Brexit border in Ireland Sea.
During negotiations Leo Varadkar warned that a hard border between North-South could lead to IRA violence.
They have erected posters in loyalist areas threatening to resume loyalist violence as a way of marking his return as Taoiseach’s return.
Billy Hutchinson is a former loyalist prisoner who is now the leader of the small Progressive Unionist Party. He said that “Whenever anyone has a dislike towards anybody, anger comes before and that’s exactly what happened.”
“You can argue with your neighbors, but you must resolve it.
He said, “From that perspective, if he truly wants the Republic of Ireland work, then he must make sure that there are friendly neighbours.”
Leo Varadkar is now embroiled in controversy after leaking a GP report. He isn’t as popular as he used to be in the polls.
Two weeks ago, he posted a video of himself in a Dublin nightclub. This prompted questions not only about privacy laws, but also about his judgment.
He will hope that he can turn the tide before the next general elections.