His proposals for the Fine Gael leadership include a plan to make Labour Court recommendations binding on employers and workers in "essential services".

The plans come as the government today began talks with trade unions on a proposed new pay deal for over 300,000 public workers.

Varadkar says people should not be inconvenienced by strikes in vital services - but insists he's not trying to ban strikes entirely:

Launching his policy proposals in Dublin today, the Minister for Social Protection sought to portray himself as Ireland's answer to French president Emmanuel Macron.

He described himself as looking to take the best parts from the left and right of the political spectrum - and when asked if he subscribed to Fine Gael's 'Just Society' proposals from the 1960s, as Simon Coveney does, said he was more interested in political philosophies of the future than the past.

Simon Coveney's backers meanwhile insist the race to succeed Enda Kenny is not over, and are hopeful of changing the minds of some TDs who have already backed Varadkar.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News:

Leo Varadkar wants to ban certain workers from going on strike.