WHEN GOVERNMENT MINISTERS appear on television it’s important that they be asked about urgent matters of State.

And as you will know there has been no more important a matter in the public consciousness this week than the decision by former Miss World and serial photoshoot model Rosanna Davison to pose topless for Playboy magazine.

As the Irish Sun newspaper today published one of the pictures from the Playboy shoot on its frontpage (with tasteful Playboy bunny symbols to cover her nipples), Transport Minister Leo Varadkar was asked about the story on last night’s Vincent Browne on TV3.

A playful Vincent asked the Fine Gael TD what he thought of it all.

A bit taken aback by the question, Varadkar responded: “Well I wouldn’t, eh, I wouldn’t do it myself. No I haven’t been asked so…

Cue nervous laughter followed by the awkward question from commentator Sinead Ryan: “Would we need to pixelate it if you did?”

Then there’s a bit more nervous laughter before the Minister expanded on his view:

Ah look it, she’s a free individual and she’s free to do whatever she likes but I wouldn’t like it if it was my sister because those pictures are around forever, you know?

“Why?” asked Vincent in that cutting way of his.

Varadkar responded: “Em, cos’ I wouldn’t like, like now what’s going to be happening is that people are going to be looking at those pictures on their iPhone and giggling over them.

“I just think it’s a little bit demeaning.”

Giggling? Yes indeed Minister. Giggling.

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