Taoiseach tight-lipped on reports of Fine Gael courting GAA star Aidan O'Mahony

Leo Varadkar on Wednesday indicated that a former winner Dancing with the Stars is considering a move to politics

Aidan O'Mahony lining out for Kerry in 2016. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The Taoiseach has remained tight-lipped over speculation that his party is courting former Dancing with the Stars winner and GAA player Aidan O'Mahony.

It comes as Leo Varadkar on Wednesday indicated that a former winner of the celebrity dancing show is considering a move to politics.

Asked if his party has approached former Kerry GAA player O'Mahony to run as a candidate, the Taoiseach said: "It's no secret that Fine Gael is looking for candidates. We've reached out to quite a lot of people from different sectors of life.

"We are particularly looking for people who are willing to put themselves out there, which I think is really important to politics, but I won't be announcing any candidates anytime soon.

"We have procedures that have to be followed and anyone running for election has to seek a nomination through our party procedures and party branches. So, you'll have to wait for any announcements," Mr Varadkar told reporters in Washington.

It comes as Mr Varadkar confirmed that the local and European elections will be held on Friday, June 7. However, he refused to say when the next general election will be held.

When asked by journalists when the next general election would be, he said: “No time soon, anyway.” His comments come after the Government suffered two massive defeats in last week’s referenda results.

Speaking in Washington DC, Mr Varadkar added: “The next elections will be the local and European elections and the Limerick mayor elections on the seventh of June.

“No date in mind for the general election.” The coalition could run into February next year, allowing for an election to be called as late as March 2025.