The fallout continues since a photograph emerged on Saturday of Tánaiste Leo Varadkar attending a music festival in London. The Mighty Hoopla festival coincided with the weekend Electric Picnic was due to take place.
The image was shared with the caption: “Interesting that Leo Varadkar has come to a festival in the UK today, while failing to commit to a plan for the Irish entertainment industry.”
Mixed reaction
This has sparked a lot of debate on social media platforms. Many believe the Tánaiste's attendance at the festival was yet another kick in the teeth for a struggling entertainment industry in Ireland. Others feel Leo Varadkar is entitled to a private life and should not be attacked for this.
Waterford's Mark Graham was one of the first musicians to take to social media to express his annoyance..
Political reporter with the Irish Examiner Paul Hosford talks to Damien
Opening Monday's Déise Today with Damien Tiernan, Paul Hosford said that Varadkar's decision to attend the festival was 'tone deaf'. He said from speaking to people in the entertainment industry, the feeling is that it was further 'salt in the wound.'
However, Hosford said he himself had mixed feelings on the issue. "Nothing he did broke any guidelines. He probably feels that it would have been easier to go and spend some down time at the festival in London. In that way I can see his point. Dublin can be a small fish bowl at times. For someone as recognisable and divisive as Leo Varadkar it might have been easier for him"
You can listen back to the full interview here:
