Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary backs ‘more risky’ Leo Varadkar

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said he’s strongly backing Leo Varadkar and not fellow Corkman Simon Coveney to become the new Fine Gael leader because he believes that the country needs a fresh change.

Saying he was expressing a personal preference and not talking on behalf of “non-political” Ryanair, Mr O’Leary said Mr Coveney represented something “of the old guard Blueshirts”.

“My personal opinion as someone who was born in Cork and went to Clongowes, I would strongly favour Leo Varadkar for leader of Fine Gael,” he told reporters.