Leo Varadkar looks comfy as he tries out the Taoiseach’s chair for size

There was a giddy air in the Dáil chamber as we entered yesterday at 11.55am for the daily set piece of Leaders’ Questions.

As is custom these days, more than a dozen Fianna Fáil TDs were already in their seats, as demanded by leader Micheál Martin.

On the Government side, the benches were emptier.

But there, sat in the chair normally occupied by soon to be former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, was Leo Varadkar.

Varadkar, as we know, is one of the main contenders to Kenny’s thrown and the race is about to commence.

Sat next to Varadkar was his main leadership rival, Housing Minister Simon Coveney, or ‘Superhero Simon’ as Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald called him.

As we took our seats in the press gallery, we sensed some fun was about to be had in light of the leadership race. McDonald duly obliged focusing on the almighty row about water charges yesterday. The Sinn Féin heiress apparent asked Varadkar his view on comments made by Coveney to this paper the night before about his intentions to defy the wishes of the water committee.

Coveney told my colleague Juno McEnroe that he will not introduce any laws on water charges which are deemed to be illegal or which expose the State to fines from Europe.

Varadkar took to his feet to respond.

“I very much want to echo the words of the minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, and stand by what he has said and has made clear throughout this process, that Fine Gael and this Government will not bring forward legislation that we know to be contrary to European law,” he said.

With a distinct sense of mischief, McDonald poked fun at the two contenders.

“His ministerial colleague and superhero friend, Deputy Simon Coveney, pushed this politically charged issue of water charges into a new committee,” she said.

“On one level, it is touching to see such solidarity between the two ministers, all things considered. It is tragic that this solidarity and joint sense of purpose only emerges when they are intent on frustrating the repeated and democratically mandated demands of the people of this State.”

Then it was the turn of arch-anarchist Paul Murphy to pose the questions, as he claimed the grand victory on the water charge issue.

“It is nice to see such a public audition for the job of Taoiseach,” he said. “This is the only sight that the public will have to see of who is the next leader. This audition is a test of who can break commitments that are made. Deputy Varadkar has indicated that he is willing to break it, as has Deputy Coveney.”

Varadkar’s belter of a response sought not to attack Murphy, as you would have expected, but rather Fianna Fáil, whose support the minority Government requires to remain in office.

“I congratulate Deputy Paul Murphy on one enormous success, though not on the role he has played in the campaign against water charges. I congratulate him on the role he has played in reducing Fianna Fáil to what it is now. The party of Lemass, which was once proud to stand up for things and would do the right things by the Irish people, now determines its policy on water solely out of fear of Deputy Murphy and of Sinn Féin.”

Ouch, that one stung alright, and you could see the delight on the faces of the Varadkaristas on the Fine Gael backbenches.