No links with Flannery, says Varadkar

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has insisted ex-Fine Gael adviser Frank Flannery is not working with him “on the side” about his future prospects, saying he has grown “very close” to Taoiseach Enda Kenny in recent months.

The long-mooted internal rival to the current Fine Gael leader made the remarks during a Today With Marian Finucane panel discussion also attended by Mr Flannery.

Mr Varadkar — who in recent days has faced his first bout of sustained criticism since taking up the health portfolio six months ago — dismissed suggestions he had sought out the help of My Flannery.

“Are you asking me?” he said amid laughter among the panel. “There’s this story going around that Frank is meant to be working for me on the side or something.

“I know Frank going back years, he’s done great work, but I think we’ve spoken maybe once or twice in the last year at the most.”

Mr Varadkar — who travelled to Miami, Florida, for a short break just as the emergency department trolley crisis escalated — said he was “too busy” working “24/7” to sort out the health service to be “meeting Frank about the Fine Gael leadership”.

When asked about ongoing rumours of a split between himself and Mr Kenny, the health minister said nothing could be further from the truth.

“Enda’s been extremely supportive in recent weeks, we spoke this morning and met during the week. I can assure you, Enda and I have become very close in the last months, if anything,” he said.

In a November interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Flannery tipped Mr Varadkar to succeed Mr Kenny as taoiseach, stressing he has the “capacity to speak in a very straight language”.