The Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has defended the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar who was pictured at a music festival in London at the weekend saying he is entitled to "some down time".
"He took some down time in the UK before that trip kicked off and I think everyone is entitled to a day off and a bit of down time, even the Tánaiste of our country," he said. Ms Coughlan told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that given the Tánaiste met representatives from the music industry ahead of the weekend and then went on to the event in the UK, she said it appears that "he doesn't seem to have any understanding about what it has been like, really".
She said "it's one thing for them, one for us" and while she is "delighted" to be back performing, Ms Coughlan said it will take "forever to get back on our feet" as venues can still only have 60% capacity.
He didn't dare to say so about students, who he is in charge of... Hmmm... 🤔
If he needs down time, let him step down, and do us all a favour.
There's alot of deliberately obtuse politicans in government over this.
It should be obligatory for politicians to attend one festival a year in my opinion. Everyone who is outraged by this 'news' really needs to focus their rage at something more productive.
So are hospital staff who are suffering from staffing shortages and would love a break from it all but....
Leo isn’t the brightest…
Like it or not he’s Tanaiste 24/7.
Loads of other jobs out there have plentiful down time that's not questionable. A Government Minister and rule maker for others requires a degree of decorum and sacrifice in their choice of downtime that is. Harris would not be able to figure that out.
I absolutely agree, he is entitled to downtime. But if this is Simon Harris’s best excuse for defending leovaradkar ,then that is pretty sad,even for him. It’s the context of the whole thing and it only highlight how out of touch FG are. They do not give a flying foxtrot
Not when its to go to a music festival that the rest of us cant go to - wheres the 'personal responsibility' in that leo? No EP for us here, but sure just feck off to the uk and pick ur nose there while u laugh at the rest of us eejits here puttin up with this shit!
🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
Is there anything you people don't whine about? Bloody hellfire....
His salary is entitled to ‘down time’ too.
Well he's kept Irish musicians down for the longest time
And the rest of the country aren't!? ResignLeo
This man would likely be earning at least 5 times his salary in the private sector, instead he serves the Irish people, a large minority (Sf supporters in the main) of whom despise him; we all know why - sure tis a great little country!He’s delivered and showed true leadership!
He has. Private life like rest of us
Anyone else think that the reason the Shinners are being quiet about this that some of them were on holidays doing the same thing? It’s the sort of thing they’d be all over.
It’s a reflection of the current state of Irish political discord. He can do no right. No matter what he does he’s criticised. No rules were broken and we done on his free time.
Fine....... Then let him down-time like the rest of us and stop acting like he is fucking special!
Yup like the rest of us!! But he isn’t like the rest of us is he! Like I said tge visuals here isn’t great and shows really how he holds the Irish nation in his thoughts IMO
He attended an event, the likes of which is banned in this country by HIS GOVERNMENT!!! Of course, the anti-gay gay is prone to hypocrisy...
Where's our downtime
“Britain is not the model to follow “
If he continues making these gaffes, he'll get more downtime than he can handle.
Yes.... maybe. Just not in another country after the months of travel restrictions he helped implement and a huge drive for staycations to help the Irish economy... and especially not at the same type of an event abroad which was not allowed go ahead in Ireland the same weekend.
I wonder did he give consent for his photo to be taken or to be publicly shared. Its says a lot about the person who took the photo that they've nothing better else to be doing than going around stalking people at the weekend!
Yes he is. Journalists are getting ridiculous. Maybe cover something useful and important. That would be nice.
So am i but he's making rules that don't allow it .
I think it’s similar to when the barbershops were closed here and Leo grew his hair until they opened. That solidarity leadership was required on music festivals too, so..do not fly to London to music festivals while thousands of music events were given the death hammer by you!
He is, although his naivety is quite simply astonishing! Do as I say…..
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Downtime but he used a jet to get there and back on the government expenses no surprise people are angry.His timing is terrible though in fairness
Have RTE ever even questioned any of his actions and scandals…ever? One sided as usual.. ResignLeo
Everyone enjoy s there down time but eyer telling everyone not to be getting laxydasy that it’s nearly over
Phil Hogan entitled to game of golf says Harris
Leo has been acting like an idiot all summer, nobody is entitled to anything in this World, he may deserve it like every else but he is far from entitled
Harris; ' The church is being reckless by holding communions and we will go after them'. Also Harris; ' Leo is entitled to fuck off to London to do coke and party in a completely reckless way. Any criticism is racist and homophobic'.
Not being able to attend functions is for 'little people', otherwise known as ' deplorables', but not for members of the political elite.
Do as I say, not as I do. Not good enough, so arrogant.
That should not be seen as his freedom day only a public and political backlash.this will be the first day of a new normal wereallinthistogether
So are we but yeah are stopping it
Who said he wasn't 🤣🤣🤣 all that money on spin merchants and these gobshites can't see whats staring them in the face. Hope ye kept the receipt lads. Supreme leader and his little bot army are scrambling. Theres only so long they can hold out before they have to make a heave
Swine
Don't we all deserve downtime SimonHarrisTD I'd have loved to go to electricpicnic this weekend but that bellend ensured it wasn't an option
He is so arrrogant he thinks he is above everyone
'Downtime' aaahhh yes I believe this is what politicians call work ...
That’s lovely, Simon.
Yeah... but the government jets?
Why do I and many others have a strong suspicion that homophobia and xenophobia have a lot to do with the constant hounding of this man? The prejudices that nowadays dare not speak their name.
Read the fucking room, lads
He certainly is but like the rest of us not at a festival ,the lad should of shown leadership
He was down alright, all the way down.
How come elites are entitled to things that most of the populations are not?
Man goes to concert? Big story. Seriously?
And a private jet👌
Seems like a vicious campaign against leovaradkar by some people and parties. Not difficult to see which parties are behind it. We talk about leadership but yet all we're seeing is bullying and time and time again, it doesn't end well. Time to bekind.
Sycophantic, lick spittles
Who said he wasn't? People just want him to stop being a hypocrite
Not a leader. He’s a power junkie. Exit stage left Leo.
Absolute bullshit
What he does on his own time is his business. Also, he broke no laws.
And all paid for by the tax payers ( using the government's private jet as a taxi service, unbelievable)
It's not his use of downtime is the issue it's his rank hypocrisy.
SimonHarrisTD yes but not when he is part of the decision process that states this down time is too dangerous, even though Ireland has more fully vaccinated people than England. It’s stinks of Charlie Haughey Do as I say not as I do
can’t have a relaxing day on the couch, no?
A load of Bollix
Picking his nose at a festival in the uk? Come on Simon. Get a grip.
Missing the point entirely. The weekend of electric picnic? Tone deaf? ResignLeo Typical RTE propaganda
So is everyone else that’s the point he is blocking everyone else going to festivals
Sure keep voting them in.. It’s one thing after another with FG FF. Change required
Kamala? Rolf? Neil Patrick? Ed? Calvin? Richard? Steve? Samantha? Mel? Sam? Phil? Are we supposed to know which Harris is defending Leo Varadkar?
Arrogant entitlement and morally bankrupt double standards hypocrisy is why leovaradkar is failed leader who will never win an election. ResignLeo will be forever rejected by citiziens who fail to support and follow arrogant failed incompetent leaders.
Harris confusing entitlement with public approval.
Of course he is. But playing the media has a double edge to it.
Harris is being willfully ignorant in his response here.
'Entitled' needs to be in quotes too.
Leo Varadkar certainly is entitled A self entitled Charlatan 🤬🤬🤬🤬
If this isn't proof the whole thing is a hoax then I dunno what is
Lots of people went on holidays this year. Big deal.
They still don’t get it.
Of course he is, but why go to a festival in UK when he is part of the reason they are locked down here. Someone like him should have a lot more common sense and good judgement as a leader. This was poor judgement unless he did it intentionally for a good reason?
He's supposed to be a leader yet he used his downtime to experience an environment that his own rules say is dangerous. People are opposed to hypocrisy, not downtime
For course he is as is everyone else. What's irking people is that he is off enjoying himself at a 25k capacity concert in another country with no capacity restrictions. He is a member of a govt who has banned such events in Ireland right now!
Of course he is but maybe choosing the one industry in Ireland which remains in limbo, and an event in a country which Leo himself said was a bad idea to follow the example of maybe was a bit of a mis-step? Maybe?
During a “global pandemic” so deadly they go on holidays
You mean he's allowed out of Government Buildings for a 5 minute fresh air break? Outrageous!
He absolutely is entitled to down time. And it’s well deserved in fairness. But clearly going to a concert in London is politically unwise in the face of restrictions on the entertainment industry here, let alone the ammo it provides to the anti brigade.
Put down...
It would be far too much to expect leadership, responsible example or a sense of being in it with the rest of us from the Tanaiste.
Nobody is saying he isn't. Of course he is, but to fuck off to a music festival in the UK while imposing sanctions and restrictions on the industry in Ireland is at the very least in bad taste... I'd say it's completely arrogant and self entitled myself tbh.