Leo Varadkar has hailed Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy a "role model" for young men after he publicly announced he is gay.
The half-scrum play made the announcement through his club earlier today, having previously told his teammates back in January.
McCarthy, 27, rejoined Leinster from Munster last summer after two years with the Reds.
Read more: Leinster's Nick McCarthy comes out as gay after fearing he'd have to quit sport
“I came out to my teammates in January and I was obviously pretty nervous about doing so,” McCarthy told Leinster's website.
After speaking to coaches Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster in November of 2021, McCarthy described the subsequent support he received as "unbelievable".
Meanwhile, McCarthy's announcement was positivly received on social media, with many praising the rugby star for his honesty.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar also praised the rugby star for his courage in coming out.
Taking to Twitter, Varadkar wrote: "This is an important moment for men's sport. "Nick will be a role model for young men around Ireland who feel they have to suppress who they are."
The Fine Gael leader publicly came out as gay in 2015, becoming Ireland's first openly gay head of state.
He is in a relationship with long-term partner Matt Barrett, and they have recently welcomed a Ukrainian refugee into their Dublin home.
In his interview with the Leinster Rugby website, McCarthy said he is optimistic for the future.
He said: "I’d love people to see, from my experience, that coming out has been really positive, and the biggest hurdle may be in your own head."
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