FIANNA FÁIL LEADER Micheál Martin described Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as “obsessed with media presentation” in an interview on the Late Late Show.

He operates differently – I think he’s very obsessed with media presentation, everything is through the lens of how it’s perceived. 

He recounted how a conversation he had with Varadkar down in Killarney about the soon-to-run-out confidence and supply agreement appeared on the front page of a newspaper the next day.

“I think he could do with a degree more humility maybe,” he said.

He described the incident as “a bit immature” and “wrong”.

“Because you have to build up trust with people. I mean he must respect the fact that we have facilitated the formation of a government and the continuation of the government.” 

The confidence and supply arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is due to run out after the announcement of the Budget next month.

If Fianna Fáil were to withdraw their support of the Fine Gael minority government, it would spark a general election during a crucial time in Brexit negotiations.

Because of this, it’s thought that the likelihood is that the confidence and supply arrangement, which has lasted for three years, will be extended.