What do politicians do when they leave politics? We asked them

Last year’s general election saw a significant level of attrition, with some politicians leaving on their own terms and others being ejected by voters. Political Editor Elaine Loughlin finds out what is next in line for those who left the political sphere

Leo Varadkar with Cork pop star Lyra n 'Unchartered with Ray Goggins'.

How as taoiseach do you go from a schedule that is packed with world leader engagements, media briefings, Dáil questions, and international travel to nothing?

“I’m calling it a gap year, where I have a chance to try lots of different things,” said Leo Varadkar as he prepared to scale South Africa’s Drakensberg mountains as part of a survivor-style TV programme with Cork popstar Lyra.