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Former Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has compared Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to Donald Trump.

Speaking to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta yesterday, Coughlan citied the Taoiseach's emphasis on social media, fancy socks, and other trivial matters that she deemed comparable to US President, Donald Trump.

“On a personal level he is a gentleman, but there are very important things happening at the moment, and socks and the like, well they’re not important at all.

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"It’s easy to be on Twitter and not to do interviews, like President Trump in the US at the moment, but it’s not right at all" she said of the Taoiseach.

She continued: “There is very important work to be done, with Europe, policies. People are under huge pressure, and it’s too easy to be on Twitter.”

Mary Coughlan also said that the current government was neglecting rural communities, and that independent candidates elected in the last general election have had little or no effect.

Confirming that she would not be putting her name forward for the next election, she said:

“They have forgotten those outside of Dublin and that’s what’s upsetting people so much. It’s great that Dublin is prospering and doing well with employment, but that’s not to be seen outside of the Pale.”