Reaction to Leo Varadkar’s resignation was a story of two tales in his Dublin West constituency.
In affluent Castleknock, there was shock and sadness; in socially disadvantaged Corduff, there was indifference and even hope that his resignation could result in a general election.
Around the shops at the Castleknock village centre, the vast majority of people The Irish Times spoke to expressed high regard for their high-profile TD.
“I have to say I am very fond of him,” said Rosemary Killalea, who is originally from Donegal but has been living in the area “for many years”.
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“He has been a good TD. We are very lucky in this area that we have good housing, good jobs, good services and not everywhere has that. What I liked about him is his outspokenness, his honesty,” she said.
“I cannot understand why he’s retiring. I know he’s losing 10 of his TDs – maybe that has something to do with it and the referendums have to have done a lot of damage. But Leo, I am sorry he’s leaving. I honestly am.”
Why did Leo Varadkar choose this moment to go?
Friends Con Clarke and Jim Clancy, outside a coffee shop, were “just talking about Leo”.
“I am very surprised, for a young fellah like that,” Mr Clancy said. “These two referendums may have been the issue. I am shocked to see him go, and a bit sad. He was a breath of fresh air.”
Asked whether he was a good TD, Mr Clarke said: “That’s debatable. What’s a good TD? He wouldn’t be like the Healy-Raes, constantly shouting about his area. He’s more about national policy.”
Just 5km away in Corduff, shoppers said Mr Varadkar had done “nothing” for the area, particularly on crime and housing.
Paschal Collins, brother of former professional boxer Stephen, runs the Celtic Warrior boxing gym. He described Mr Varadkar as “all right” but says of Government parties: “None has been good for Corduff.
“I didn’t know Leo was resigning and it makes no difference. It could be a great thing,” he said.
Richard O’Leary, a Traveller and member of the gym, said the resignation “can only be good [as] nothing’s come out of all his years as leader for this area”.
Asked if he had ever voted Fine Gael, he said: “Not a chance.” He said he had lived “almost my whole my life” on a local halting site. He described the condition of the site as “really, really bad”.
“Nothing changed there the whole time Leo has been a TD here.”
[ Leo Varadkar’s bombshell resignation turns the political world upside downOpens in new window ]
A primary schoolteacher said she had raised the issues of crime and housing with Mr Varadkar and that “he never done anything about it so maybe the next person will”.
“I’m happy to see him go,” she said.
Andrew, a shop worker, said: “To me, Leo would seem to be looking after Castleknock more than people around here.
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