Leo Varadkar's pitch for the Fine Gael leadership is exclusionary and risks leaving people behind, a prominent supporter of his rival Simon Coveney has claimed.
Dublin Bay South TD Kate O’Connell, who previously attacked Mr Varadkar’s supporters as “choirboys” who were “singing for their supper”, criticised the Minister for Social Protection’s vision of Fine Gael being for “people who get up early in the morning”.
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Speaking on The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast, Ms O'Connell also rejected suggestions that Mr Varadkar has an "X factor" that Mr Coveney lacks.
“When it comes to a Taoiseach, I don’t want a celebrity, I want a statesman,” she said. “I want someone I can send out, who can go out and be proud of him on the international stage, who can deal with a vast array of issues.”
Mr Coveney has outlined a policy approach in line with the Fine Gael tradition of the ‘Just Society’, which focuses on social reform and Ms O’Connell said this is more in line with the views of Irish people generally.
Of Mr Varadkar’s pitch, she said: “I find it excludes an awful lot of people in society who can’t get out of bed for whatever reason. Perhaps they can’t get out of bed. There is something in their lives that renders them not positive about their lives. You don’t want to be focussing in on one particular section of society to the exclusion of everybody else.
"That is emerging as the differences between the two candidates. One is for the more global approach to Ireland and one is honing in on the 30-35 per cent potential middle Fine Gael vote -maximum Fine Gael vote.
“But also when you are targeting people you have to make sure they are connected enough with politics and be interested to go out and vote.”
She said the differences between Mr Coveney and Mr Varadkar will be “very apparent” at the four leadership hustings, which are due to start on Thursday in Dublin.
Other “myths” - such as Mr Varadkar being a better media performer and the more likely candidate to increase Fine Gael support - will also “gotten rid of through the hustings”, Ms O’Connell said.