Varadkar says Chambers 'could be next gay Taoiseach in waiting'

Vivienne Clarke

Former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has paid tribute to the incoming Minister for Finance, his constituency colleague Jack Chambers.

"I think he's up for the job. He's proved himself very capable. I don't think 33 is too young, by the way,” he told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.

"One thing that I think is really nice, this is Pride week, and of course, he is a member of the LGBT community. And maybe he’s the next gay Taoiseach in waiting."

Mr Varadkar pointed out that Mr Chambers was a very capable politician along with being a qualified doctor as well as a lawyer.

"I've known Jack for a long time now. Certainly since he got elected to the council. He's a good colleague. We're lucky in Dublin West that TDS and senators tend to work together on local issues rather than scoring points off each other. And I don't think we've ever had had a row or had a harsh word.

"He was a very good chief whip, I have to say, a very good Minister of State as well. And we had to manage our relationship with the Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, which wasn't always the easiest, particularly around roads and transport.

“He's clearly very close to Micheál Martin and that's clearly part of this decision.”

Mr Varadkar said he had not been surprised at the appointment to full ministry. "That's no surprise at all. But it is a big jump from being a junior minister in cabinet to being finance minister, which is one of the few constitutional roles that exist. I think he’s very capable.”