A very maverick minister

‘I was always a messer in school, that’s my nature. But it doesn’t mean I am not deadly serious about my portfolio,’ Minister of State for Disability Issues Finian McGrath tells Hugh O’Connell, Political Correspondent

Finian McGrath describes Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as ‘a middle-class Bertie [Ahern]’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

It’s been 18 months since the self-styled socialist maverick Finian McGrath became disabilities minister in a government led by a right-of-centre party.

Unusual for sure, but then the Independent Alliance TD is an unusual character in modern-day politics. He likes a pint, a fag and a good laugh. He has an infectious smoker’s cackle, and within weeks of taking office caused a furore when he told this newspaper that the smoking ban should ...