“The Taoiseach deserved a heads up. He said it was my private life, my private issue, that it was none of his business and nothing would change. He asked me if I had been to Panti Bar! He knew I was gay already and he was absolutely fine about it. He was really sound about it.”
Health Minister Leo Varadkar has confirmed he is gay in a new radio interview, saying that he wants to be “an equal citizen in his own country”.
The Fine Gael TD was speaking to Miriam O’Callaghan on RTÉ Radio when he opened up about his personal life, revealing that his sexuality has been “no secret”.
“I am a gay man, it’s not a secret, but not something that everyone would necessarily know but isn’t something I’ve spoken publicly about before. It’s not something that defines me.
“It’s just part of who I am ….it is part of my character I suppose. I am a very private person and I still am, I keep my private life to myself, I always think that friends and family are off bounds,” he said.
He also said that he had previously put his political role ahead of his personal life and “always thought I’d be alone” but had realised he was gay in recent years. He also admitted that there was probably a part of him that had not wanted to face up to his sexuality.
“I guess so. That’s probably the truth. But you get to a place in your life where you care less what other people think. All my friends are either getting married, having kids and settling and I started wondering if I wanted to be alone. That’s what opened me up to the fact that life could be different.”
He said he had made the decision to talk publicly about his sexuality as he “wanted to be honest” with the electorate.
“I hope it’s not a big deal for anyone else – it shouldn’t be,” he added.
“I don’t want to be accused of having a hidden agenda or not being fully honest with them.”
He added that An Taoiseach Enda Kenny had been”really sound” when he told him of his plans to speak out publicly.
