Varadkar ‘not embarrassed’ by FG’s scrapped social media attack video
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar insisted he was not embarrassed by a Fine Gael campaign video attacking Fianna Fail which was removed following an online backlash.
The video — purporting to show Fianna Fail TDs running around looking for policies — was uploaded to Twitter on Friday night but removed within 12 hours.
It was scrapped after receiving widespread criticism in a week when the headlines were dominated by violent crime and homelessness.
It comes as the Sunday Independent can reveal that around €1,000-a-day has been spent on Facebook and Instagram ads for Mr Varadkar since the start of the election campaign.
Social media is already a key battleground ahead of polling day, with Fine Gael using its Twitter account to aggressively target Fianna
Fail. The controversial video involved four people wearing masks of Fianna Fail TDs Micheal Martin, Michael McGrath, Eamon O Cuiv and Willie O’Dea, searching for policies around Dublin city as the Benny Hill theme tune plays in the background.
It was watched almost 121,000 times before it was taken down.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin branded the video “silly and juvenile” after it was removed yesterday morning.
The decision to take it down was not unanimous in Fine Gael headquarters, with some senior figures believing it should have stayed online.
However, others thought the tongue-in-cheek attack ad wasn’t appropriate amid the fallout from the violence that hit the country.
Fianna Fail TD Thomas Byrne last night claimed the video was evidence of Fine Gael’s “nasty campaign”.
He insisted Fianna Fail had put forward numerous pieces of legislation that it will publish a “fully costed manifesto” that will tackle crises in housing and health.
Speaking at the launch of Fine Gael’s plans for climate action, Mr Varadkar denied his party’s online campaign makes it the ‘nasty party’.
He also denied he was embarrassed by the video and claimed it “made a serious point in a comical way... Fianna Fail has no policies. They’re not a serious alternative”. He said it was removed “because some people thought it was silly and we want to make the same point in a more serious way”.
Separately, as much as €6,000 has been spent promoting a video on Facebook and Instagram that showcases Mr Varadkar’s time as Taoiseach. The sum is part of up to €13,000 spent by Fine Gael with the social media giant since the election was called.
Fianna Fail’s spend on Facebook and Instagram advertising since Tuesday is less than €1,500 and Sinn Fein’s came to less than €200.
Fine Gael have paid for five ads to run in the past five days.
One of these is an online video used by Mr Varadkar to kick off his election campaign. It has been viewed 1.4 million times. This video had to be re-edited to remove footage of newsreader Eileen Dunne after Fine Gael posted it online without RTE’s permission.
While permission had been sought, it was not granted when the election was called.