O’dea: Time to stop playing to ‘woke gallery’
FF TD voted ‘No’ in both polls
FORMER Justice Minister Willie O’dea said the Government needs to “stop playing to the woke gallery” after the weekend’s two failed referenda.
The Fianna Fail TD voted No in both and said it was time to put the focus back on healthcare, the housing crisis and law and order.
He said the Government put time and effort into referendums there was no demand for.
The Limerick City TD added: “The 44% turnout shows people had looked at this and had made up their minds.
“But people were confused as to why when the country had so many problems to be getting on with in relation to lack of housing, healthcare and law and order why the Government were diverting time and energy on these referenda for which there were no popular demand.”
Writing on X yesterday morning, he said: “Fianna
Fail needs to get back to basics & abandon the
Hate Speech Bill etc.
“Focus on Housing,
Health and Law & Order and stop playing to the woke gallery.
“Start listening to the people, stop talking down to them and stop listening to the out of touch Greens & NGOS”. Deputy O’dea said many TDS in Government were not able to support the referendums enthusiastically because they were concerned about the term durable relationships
Start listenng to the people... stop listening to the out of touch Greens and NGOS
WILLIE O’DEA YESTERDAY
and how it would be viewed by the courts.
While in the care referendum, there were concerns about removing the word “mother” from the Constitution.
The TD said that he believed it had “a smack of virtue signalling” and he added he “didn’t see anything very substantial in it”.
He added: “I didn’t actively campaign for the Yes-yes vote, I didn’t feel conscientiously I could. I worried about both referendums.”
Deputy O’dea told RTE there were “horrendous” law and order problems
in Limerick which are replicated across the country.
He said: “Anti-social behaviour. Gangs of marauding youths taking over virtually parts of towns and cities and public amenities, et cetera.
“And, you know, a distinct lack of Garda present. And I think the Minister for Justice should be focusing more on that and less on legislation such as preventing hate crime.
“There’s sufficient law to deal with this type of hate crime they’re talking about.”