Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s child poverty unit is inspired by Labour’s Tony Blair and Gordon Brown

Mr Varadkar and current UK Labour leader Keir Starmer discussed the new child poverty and wellbeing unit set up in the Department of the Taoiseach, established as Mr Varadkar became Taoiseach last December.

During his time in office, Tony Blair made a famous commitment to end child poverty within a generation, and Gordon Brown promised to “to end pensioner poverty in our country”.

Mr Varadkar and Mr Starmer met in Davos, where the two men discussed how the unit was set up inspired by the former Labour prime ministers.

“The Labour leader was pleased to be briefed by the Taoiseach on the new Child Poverty and Wellbeing Unit set up in the Department of the Taoiseach, inspired by the Blair/Brown model,” read a Labour press handout after the men met.

The two leaders also discussed ongoing talks on the Northern Ireland protocol and “expressed hope” on “good progress”.

Mr Varadkar and Mr Starmer met in Belfast last week as the Taoiseach met the five parties in Northern Ireland.

They also discussed growth in the Irish economy and prospects with the UK, but Mr Varadkar discussed the impact of inflation on the spiralling cost of living.

“Both Leaders expressed solidarity with Ukraine and the need to continue providing a safe refuge for people fleeing the conflict, and the challenges that brings,” said a spokesperson for Mr Varadkar.

The two leaders are in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, a big think-in where many of the world’s elite business and political figures meet to discuss the world’s pressing challenges.