Leo Varadkar Is Ireland's First Gay Taoiseach

Leo Varadker has been voted in as Taoiseach. He is the youngest ever holder of the highest political office in the land. And he is also the first ever gay leader of the country.

Leo Varadkar’s election was supported by 50 votes, with 45 abstaining. That formality out of the way, he travelled to Áras an Uachtaráin, where he was presented with the seal of office as Taoiseach, and the seal of Government, by President Michael D. Higgins.

Varadker then returned to the Dáil to announce his new cabinet.

In his first speech, the new Taoiseach said that he would approach the office of Taoiseach with a profound sense of humility, adding that he would focus on solutions.

He paid generous tribute to his predecessor by acknowledging Enda Kenny's role in rebuilding the country; and also by referring to the fact that the outgoing Taoiseach had made it possible for him to be an equal citizen in his own country as a gay man, via the Same Sex Marriage Referendum.

He also spoke to creating what he called “a Republic of opportunity.” And he quoted Michael Collins, suggesting that with the right economic system in place, Ireland could become shining light for the rest pop the world.

In response bot the Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin and Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams expressed a concern that Leo Varadker might drag the Fine Gael path to the right politically. The Sinn Féin president added that while he would not support the election of the Fine Gael leader, he looked forward to working with him, on the basis that he is willing to take meaningful action to tackle the issues of the day.

Brendan Howlin, leader of the Labour Party, also refused to support the nomination.

"For over a year, we have endured this do-nothing Dáil,” he added. "I hope that you will restart the engines of Government upon your election."

The first task in that job was to nominate his cabinet, which the new Taoiseach is still doing as we speak!