Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Ireland could function without migrants, but it would mean the entire population would need to work six days a week, reports Breaking News.
During an appearance on The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy, the ex-Fine Gael leader noted that many people underestimate how vital migrants have become to the Irish labour force.
“The number of people who have come to Ireland over the past few years, in part driven by Ukraine, has been quite large,” reports Breaking News.
“When you look at the workforce, roughly 20 per cent of workers are not born in Ireland. So that is healthcare workers, taxi drivers, and people who work in restaurants. We could actually operate Ireland without migrants, if we all did a six-day week,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Varadkar explained that this would mean hospital staff working longer hours, or teachers taking up taxi shifts to fill the roles typically occupied by migrant workers.
His comments came during a broader discussion about populism, and how Ireland has, so far, largely avoided its surge, reports Breaking News.
“It is sweeping across other democracies, but the centre of Ireland has held. I think that is largely down to the very generous budgets we have seen in the last few years to help people with the cost of living,” he said, reports Breaking News.
On the topic of anti-immigrant protestors attempting to reclaim national symbols, Varadkar responded: “In terms of their attempt to take over the Irish flag. They have not succeeded as far as I am concerned.”
“There are a lot of threads to anti-immigrant rhetoric, and some of it is racism and a lot of it is not,” reports Breaking News.
Discussing his own decision to step down as Taoiseach, Varadkar said he felt the time had come for something new in his life.
“I was probably ready to go before I realized it. I was psychologically prepared for regret, but it has not really happened yet,” reports Breaking News.
“So far, it has been good. One of my friends said it is like a gilded cage, and it is. As a politician, you get taken around in your cage, and you get to see great places and meet great people. You have very little control over your own life or schedule. Also, the intellectual freedom you do not get in politics. You have to be so careful about what you say, as you have to think about what the party will think or the media,” reports Breaking News.
Even though he is no longer in public office, Varadkar said he is still frequently recognised in public.
“One thing you notice about people in Ireland is that they immediately react with their face when they see you. It is either joy, shock or disgust, and you can tell from their face straight away,” reports Breaking News.
“As a public figure, there is always a low-level anxiety or always on edge, and you notice people taking photos on the sly,” reports Breaking News.
Reflecting on his time as Taoiseach, Varadkar spoke about the difficult times he helped the country navigate through.
“We suffer from pessimism bias in Ireland. We had three financial shocks under my leadership. There was the 2008 crash, Brexit, and then the pandemic,” reports Breaking News.
“On each occasion, we bounced back quicker than expected, and if we had known that, maybe we would have invested more in housing and infrastructure.”
He acknowledged the importance of listening to expert advice, but also warned against blindly following it.
“It is also a good reason to listen to experts but not obey them. They are a stuck clock; they always say the same thing to rein in spending on not to cut taxes.”
When asked about which book had the biggest influence on him, Varadkar chose the Irish Constitution, reports Breaking News.
“In lots of different ways, I have been part of changing the Irish constitution, such as the same-sex marriage referendum or lifting the abortion ban,” reports Breaking News.
He also mentioned that, as a former Taoiseach, he now sits on the Council of State, which advises the President on key issues like constitutional changes.
In terms of world leaders, Varadkar said one in particular left a lasting impression, even if they didn’t share political views.
“Trump is a big personality, and you feel like you are going on his show. Too your face, he will talk trash about a lot of people, but that is kind of fun,” reports Breaking News.
“I think likability is important, and that is why you are seeing a rise in populism,” reports Breaking News.
Discussing his current lifestyle, he said he’s enjoying a slower pace and more personal freedom than he had during his time in politics.
“When I was a politician, I would often have 14 engagements during the day, compared to the two today. Life is definitely easier even though I am less consequential. I am involved with an NGO that helps women get better access to healthcare. and also help people in the LGBTQ community around the world. I feel like this is a gap year before I can consider a full-time role that is all-consuming,” he said, reports Breaking News.
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