Leo Varadkar has blasted the House of Commons comparing it to Conor McGregor-style “pay-per-view” sports events.
The Taoiseach’s off-the- cuff remark came during a Q&A session at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross on Friday.
He was asked what he thought of the antics in Westminster where passions ran high and tempers flared during Brexit debates all week.
His put-down was similar to what you might hear from a commentator on one of the big MMA matches featuring The Notorious.
The Taoiseach said: “I think if the House of Commons went pay-per-view, I think they’d probably make a lot of money.
“It has been fascinating to watch it.
“The Dail is not always an example of virtue and there are plenty of examples of nonsensical displays of behaviour in the Dail, but I don’t think a Taoiseach would ever really call someone a ‘big girl’s blouse’.
“It’s just not what you expect from the mother of all parliaments, so I hope things improve.”
Mr Varadkar was also asked by compere, popular lecturer and radio panelist Larry Donnelly, of NUI Galway, about the frosty meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence earlier this week in Farmleigh House.
The Republican took a swipe at the Irish Government and the EU after what was reportedly a cordial lunch with Mr Varadkar.
Then, with the Taoiseach standing at a podium beside him, Mr Pence told the world’s media that he thinks Ireland and the EU should “respect the UK’s sovereignty” and negotiate “in good faith” with Boris Johnson.
In response, Mr Varadkar took his own swipe against Mr Pence at the Kennedy Summer School.
He said: “I think his comments in relation to Brexit could’ve been more balanced.”
And on the crucial meeting with Mr Johnson in Dublin scheduled for tomorrow morning, the Taoiseach said he didn’t expect to get much progress out of it, adding: “What I don’t expect is any sort of breakthrough, that’s just not the way these things work.”
