Leo Varadkar finds his feet on the diplomatic dancefloor

It was far from de Valera’s comely lasses dancing at the crossroads proportions, but perhaps given the notorious difficulties at the centre of the issue a tango on the border will more than suffice.

In his first formal foray into Northern Irish politics, new Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday met with DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams at Government Buildings under the intense spotlight of how the shoot-from-the-lip politician would handle his first diplomatic task in power.

Officially, the meetings were taking place in a bid to kick-start the Stormont government talks crisis, which have stalled repeatedly throughout this year and must now either result in a new devolved government by June 29 or the return of direct rule from London.