Irish Presidential hopeful is refusing to back down over Traveller remarks
IRISH Presidential hopeful Peter Casey has been accused of adding “insult to injury” by doubling down on his criticism of Travellers.
The Londonderry-born businessman will face protests when he visits Tipperary today to view six unoccupied houses at the centre of a dispute between the county council and Traveller families.
He faces mounting calls to withdraw from the election race from Dublin ministers, Traveller groups, his election rivals and even the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
But an unapologetic Mr Casey continues to fuel racism debate by insisting Travellers should not be considered an ethnic minority. Last night he said they should “think and act as Irish people”.
He has also stood over remarks made on Independent. ie’s ‘Floating Voter’ podcast that Travellers are “basically people camping in someone else’s land”.
Reacting to Mr Casey’s latest comments, the co-director of the Traveller advocacy group Pavee Point, Martin Collins, said the millionaire’s latest contribution has “compounded the situation”.
“He has added insult to injury,” Mr Collins said.
A number of councillors who helped Mr Casey get on the ballot paper have said they do not regret giving him their vote, although most said they disagree with his comments.
Despite the controversy, Mr Casey plans to travel to Cabra Bridge in Thurles to see a €1.7m development that has been built for Travellers who are currently living on an unauthorised site nearby.
It has been reported the families want access to two stables and at least half-an-acre of land each for their horses.
Mr Casey has been critical of the role played by Pavee Point in the dispute, saying they should tell the Travellers about people “sleeping on the streets of Dublin”.
Mr Casey was asked by presenter Pat Kenny about his controversial comments yesterday on the first televised Irish Presidential debate with all six candidates.
“We have so many wonderful nationalities here, it’s wrong to single out one particular ethnic group differently,” he said.
“One of the county councils who endorsed me was Tipperary, and as you know we have a housing crisis at the moment.
“When I was down there, there was €1.7m spent building six houses that the Travelling community wouldn’t move into because they wanted sheds and two stables and one acre of land.
“Why should they be given the right to turn down a house? I think that is wrong.”
Current President Michael D Higgins has highlighted that Traveller men have 11 years’ less life expectancy than other males, and are six times more likely to commit suicide.
Kenny asked candidates if they would like Traveller people to live next door to them.
Mr Higgins said: “Yes, I have a halting site a couple of hundred yards from my house and they are wonderful people.”
And speaking earlier on RTE’s Six One News he defended his position, saying: “There’s far too much political correctness in society... I say what I think and I think what I say.”
He has received a considerable level of support on social media.
However, Mr Collins said that Pavee Point has represented the Travelling community well and the candidate’s view of the situation in Tipperary is “misinformed”.
He said the decision by Mr Casey to arrange a media event at the site was “strange” given the “hurt and pain he has caused”.