When Leo Varadkar’s Indian father, Ashok, moved to Ireland in the 1970s, he chose one of Western Europe’s most socially conservative countries to call home.

Thirty-eight years later, his youngest child became the once-staunchly Catholic country’s first openly gay prime minister, its first of Indian descent and the youngest person ever to hold the office.

Varadkar’s election in parliament on Wednesday, 10 days after he succeeded Enda Kenny as leader of the governing Fine Gael party, marks another symbolic moment for Ireland.

‘If my election today shows anything, it is that prejudice has no hold in this Republic,’ Varadkar said to huge applause on June 2 after winning the leadership of the centre-right party.

‘I know when my father travelled 5,000 miles to build a new home in Ireland, I doubt that he ever dreamed that one day his son would grow up to be its leader and despite his differences, his son would be judged by his actions not his identity.’

‘Every proud parent in Ireland today can dream big dreams for their children,’ Varadkar said.

The fact the milestone of electing a gay premier is barely mentioned in local media and has taken place — in the words of one former government minister — ‘without anybody batting an eyelid’ shows just how far Ireland has come.