LEO VARADKAR says robots are coming for our jobs — and even for his own.

The Taoiseach was asked for his thoughts on artificial intelligence at a pre-Christmas roundtable interview with reporters.

He had spoken on the subject in June at the National Economic Dialogue in Dublin Castle where he warned: “Robotics and Artificial Intelligence will alter the workspace in ways we cannot imagine. We must start preparing now if we wish to maintain our relative prosperity.”

And now the Fine Gael leader envisions robots taking over all sorts of jobs, including replacing medical professionals and politicians.

Varadkar said “Almost anyone in employment at all levels could potentially lose their jobs as a result of AI, robotics or automation. Even some jobs done by doctors.

“Looking at slides could well be done by machines much more accurately using machine learning and AI so it’s jobs at absolutely all levels that can be affected by changes in technology.”

Admitting machines could do a politician’s job, he added: “I’m not sure if we’ll have artificial intelligence to replace TDs and senators or robot ministers, who knows? You get accused of being robotic sometimes.

“Most jobs are vulnerable to digitalisation or automisation. The important thing now is that we think ahead.

“What I often reflect on is the fact that about 16 per cent of men in the country drive in some way for their living, whether it’s a taxi driver, people driving buses and trains, delivery drivers, you name it.

“And if that was automated, that would change that whole world of going to work.”

The Taoiseach was asked if workers should get a grant to go back to college to retrain for when the robots come.

But he said: “Rather than giving people grants to retrain, we’d try to do something quite different which is in-workforce training, supporting and incentivising employers to make sure their staff are upskilled.

“During the recession, a huge focus on skills and training was around training unemployed people to get jobs.

“We’re not going to need to do as much of that any more and the focus will change on training and upskilling people who are already in jobs to do new things.”

Varadkar also admitted the assisted human reproduction bill — which plans to legislate for fertility and related treatments — was now on the back-burner.

But he said the Government would find other ways to fund fertility treatment.

The Taoiseach said it will “be a challenge” to get the Bill passed next year as his priorities are setting up the CervicalCheck tribunal and Brexit legislation.

As a result, he said: “We are examining mechanisms by which we could help couples who need IVF or AHR to meet some of those costs.”