A fan letter written by Leo Varadkar to Kylie Minogue on official headed notepaper from the Office of the Taoiseach has been released following a freedom of information request from a news site, Extra.ie reported.

The Office of the Taoiseach had twice blocked the letter’s release saying it “does not relate to matters arising in the course of, or for, the purpose of the Taoiseach’s functions as the head of Government” although the letter was signed “Leo V Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister)”. The decision to release the letter was appealed but in the end, Varadkar consented to its release.

The fan letter had been sent in advance of Kylie Minogue’s planned Dublin concert which she then had to postpone due to illness. It read: “Dear Kylie, just wanted to drop you a short note in advance of the concert in Dublin. I am really looking forward to it. Am a huge fan! I understand you are staying in the Merrion Hotel which is just across the street from my office in Government Buildings. If you like, I’d love to welcome you to Ireland personally.”

After Kylie cancelled her gig, she rang Varadkar apologising for doing so. At the rescheduled concert date, Varadkar attended with friends and the group had their picture taken with the singer.

Following the image being widely shared, rumours circulated Varadkar and his friends had been treated to a free dinner and drinks. An Taoiseach posted on social media “This is not true. There was no meal, we only had drinks and I paid. I have the receipt to prove it too.”

Varadkar recently made worldwide news when he introduced his partner Matt Barrett to the notoriously homophobic vice-president of the US, Mike Pence, during a St Patrick’s Day visit. He told the press gathered “I stand here this morning as leader of my country, flawed and human, but judged on my political actions and mistakes and not on my sexual orientation or my skin tone.”