Varadkar: Vagabond comment not about Travellers

TÁNAISTE Leo Varadkar has faced backlash from the Traveller community after he called Sinn Féin donors ‘vagabonds who live in a caravan’ in the Dáil this week.

The Fine Gael leader made the remark on Thursday last, during a row with Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty over the cost of living crisis, described by some Travellers as ‘insulting’ and ‘derogatory’.

While the debate began on how people are struggling financially across the country it soon descended into a tirade of personal mud-slinging, with Mr Varadkar also attacking Sinn Féin’s credentials.

The comment was in reference to William E Hampton, an Englishman living in a mobile home who left the party more than €4million in his will after he died.

A spokeswoman for Mr Varadkar told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘The Tánaiste wishes to clarify that he was not making a reference to a member of the Travelling community nor to anyone experiencing poverty, disadvantage or homelessness.

‘Rather he was referring to Mr William Hampton who left €4million in his will to Sinn Féin in dubious circumstances.’

However, Senator Eileen Flynn, the first member of the Traveller Community to serve in the Oireachtas, has called on Mr Varadkar to apologise for his comments.

Referring to the word ‘vagabond’, Ms Flynn added: ‘To even use such a word in our parliament, it’s disgusting. It was very insulting. Instead of finding a solution to a crisis, he is mocking people living in dire accommodation. I think he should apologise.

Martin Collins, co-director of Pavee Point, described the Tánaiste’s comments as being ‘derogatory’ and ‘offensive’.

‘There’s an insinuation that everyone who lives in a caravan is a vagabond, so there’s a bit of a generalisation there,’ Mr Collins told the Mail.