Sinn Fein councillor is suspended for series of controversial podcasts
A SINN Fein councillor who made a series of controversial comments has been suspended from the party.
South Dublin County Councillor Paddy Holohan, a former UFC fighter, was forced to issue an apology on Thursday after he called the Taoiseach “of Indian blood” on his podcast. He also said he would prefer for Ireland’s leader to be a “family man”.
Mr Holohan said his comments were “misinterpreted” in a statement on Twitter.
New comments emerged yesterday where he claimed on the same podcast that underage girls were having sex with men and then blackmailing them for up to €10,000.
Sinn Fein later said that Mr Holohan had been suspended from the party with immediate effect, while a disciplinary process begins.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said yesterday: “I have moved immediately to the party’s disciplinary procedures, all of that matter is now in hand and disciplinary action will be taken.
“Obviously the comments themselves are offensive, they’re beyond offensive. I actually find them upsetting.
“I’m very, very shocked at the comments made and the party’s disciplinary procedure is now activated, as we speak.”
The controversy began when comments emerged on Thursday about Mr Holohan discussing the Taoiseach.
He had said: “He’s so separated not even from society now, but he’s so separated from the history of this country.
“Leo Varadkar’s blood obviously runs to India, you know, so his great-grandfather is not part of the history of this country, you know what I mean.”
On a separate podcast published two days ago, Mr Holohan said he wanted a “family man” to run the country.
“We need people running the country and, not against Leo or anything like that, but to me I want a family man running the country.”
On Thursday, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald told reporters that she was “satisfied” with his apology and will not be removing him from the party.
However, more quotes emerged yesterday where Mr Holohan allegedly made the controversial comments about women.
He was talking about how if he ran an all-women MMA class, it would be supported, but an allmale class would be criticised.
Mr Holohan said he would be criticised for “hating women” if he ran an all-male class.
Mr Holohan added that “there is some f ****** scum women out there as well.
“I just wanna say to you, a situation I heard during the week where somebody heard somebody was underage, the person didn’t know they were underage, the girl had pursued the guy, got whatever she needed, had pictures, had videos, and then said, ‘I want ten grand.”
“And that wasn’t the first person, there were loads of them.”
Sinn Fein said: “Paddy Holohan has been suspended from Sinn Fein with immediate effect, and a disciplinary process has been initiated.”