Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not know if I would have asked. When one is Taoiseach, one is Head of Government. From time to time, one can, and one does, personally intervene in issues. I know some people may see that as going over the head of a Minister but when one is Taoiseach, one is the head. When I was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, there would have been occasions when the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, got personally involved in and intervened on particular issues. Every Tuesday and Wednesday in the Dáil, Opposition Members call on the Taoiseach to intervene in specific matters. They will often ask why the Taoiseach cannot just pick up the phone, and sometimes the Taoiseach does and gets personally involved and engaged. That is part of the job of being Taoiseach.

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