Gerard Howlin: Varadkar's ruthless showmanship has fundamentally changed the game

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan. Having gotten the keys to a Hiace van, Varadkar reversed it back over the good doctor on live television. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

The importance of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s bravura performance on RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live on Monday night was that he locked himself in. Having gotten the keys to a Hiace van, last seen when then health minister Simon Harris used it to reverse over the chief medical officer Tony Holohan on CervicalCheck, Leo reversed it again, back over the good doctor on live television. 

It was compelling showmanship, ruthlessly articulated and reprised the former and future Taoiseach’s leadership, in the spring when Covid-19 arrived.