SF strikes conciliatory tone towards Varadkar in private correspondence

Newly-released emails reveal that despite criticising him in public, Sinn Féin representatives were more positive when corresponding privately with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

‘Leo, a chara’: Sinn Féin TDs have been some of the government’s fiercest critics in the Dáil, but senior figures, including its president Mary Lou McDonald (right) in the party have been very friendly in their letters to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (left) since he took office Pic: Getty/Collins

Sinn Féin TDs wrote to Leo Varadkar to congratulate him on his election as Taoiseach and to commend him for “hitting all the right notes” in a speech last year, newly released correspondence shows.

Despite being heavily critical of Varadkar’s government publicly, emails released by the Department of the Taoiseach strike a different tone. They show how Sinn Féin representatives regularly requested meetings with the Taoiseach to discuss the situation in the North.