I have no interest or desire to be head of Fine Gael.... I am ambitious for my country and I always said I would love to sit at Cabinet.

I told him last Monday that I felt the way things were going it was unlikely that I would be able to vote for the legislation.

It has long been a bug bear of mine... it needs to change, very simply.

I've always been infuriated by Bertie, I have to say. I never appreciated his style of politics. I thought it was very superficial, running around the country opening crisp packets, as they say, never really engaging with the substance of what was being debated and it clearly had a hugely negative impact on this country.

She later said: "If the Irish people vote in favour of gay marriage then I'll vote for gay marriage in the Oireachtas in order to recognise that position, but at the moment that is not recognised by the Constitution."

... I think Finance is the one that everybody aspires to, who's serious in politics, because that's where the real decisions are taken and I think it's a fascinating portfolio.

I have many gay friends who don't support gay marriage either.