Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny has admitted he was an absent husband for years.
He said being stuck in lockdown has given him a better chance to really appreciate his wife and kids.
Mr Kenny was the leader of Fine Gael for 15 years before passing the baton to Leo Varadkar in 2017.
Speaking to Des Cahill on Des’ Island Discs on RTE Radio One, he said: “I didn’t have any great difficulty leaving [as leader of Fine Gael].
“I got through two elections and moved the country on to a much better place.
“My wife Fionnuala raised our children, I was an absent husband for all of those years so now you have a much greater opportunity as a family to appreciate those things and I think that’s really important.
“My philosophy is do your job when you have it as best you can and then move it on.”
He dedicated The Power Of Love by Jennifer Rush to his wife and the women of Ireland for the job they do in positions of responsibilities in so many aspects of life over so many years.
His other song choices were – To Win Just Once by The Saw Doctors and Bruce Springsteen’s Waitin’ On A Sunny Day.
The couple have been married since 1992 and met when Fionnuala was working as the press officer for Fianna Fail.
They have three children – Aoibhinn, Ferdia and Naoise.
Mr Kenny began his politics career at the age of 24 in November 1975.
He was almost 42 when he tied the knot, admitting he had “been around the field a few times”.
