In Casey you were thinking of voting for him ...DON’T
leo calls on public to disregard dragon
LEO Varadkar made a dramatic intervention into the presidential race – and called for people not to vote for Peter Casey.
The millionaire, who is underfire for his comments about the Travelling community, yesterday visited the housing development which prompted him to rubbish their ethnic standing.
He was challenged by a small group of protesters after saying: “I don’t believe the Travellers should be given special status.
“Why should they be given status over and above yourself or myself ?”
Mr Casey yesterday made his way to Cabra Bridge outside Thurles in Co Tipperary – where Travellers have refused to move into newly-built council homes in a row over extra land they say was promised to them.
But just hours before the visit, the Taoiseach asked voters not to back the former Dragons’ Den star.
He said Casey’s comments were more likely designed to grab attention and hoped people would let him know at the ballot box next week his words are unacceptable.
Speaking from Brussels at an EU Summit of European leaders, Mr Varadkar added: “I think his remarks were very divisive and they were largely designed to get attention for him and his campaign. I think that’s really regrettable.
“I hope when the people of Ireland come out next Friday they will give Casey and anyone who holds those kind of views a very clear message.”
Mr Casey had described the Government’s decision to consider Travellers an ethnic minority as “a load of nonsense”.
The former TV star also questioned whether those from a Traveller background pay their “fair share of taxes”.
The group was formally recognised as an ethnic minority by former
Taoiseach Enda Kenny at a ceremony in Leinster House last year.
But Mr Casey ranted: “That’s a load of nonsense. They are not from Romany or whatever. They’re basically people camping on someone else’s land. I think somebody needs to sit up and say this is nonsense.
“They get education, they get support and they’re not paying their fair share of taxes in society.
“They live, by and large, outside of society – that’s why they get their status.
“But do they put in their tax returns, do they pay their taxes? Obviously they have to pay VAT when they buy stuff, but I think it’s just wrong.” It was claimed yesterday Traveller children were left “scared and nervous” after hearing his remarks.
The houses Mr Casey visited have been uninhabited for months after the Travelling community claim the local authority built them with no room for horse grazing as agreed.
Several people at yesterday’s protest accused the presidential candidate of using tactics similar to US President Donald Trump.
Brian Mccarty’s family was promised one of the houses.
He said although trust has broken down between the Travelling community and the local authority, it is a local issue and Mr Casey’s journey to the site, along with the country’s media was a “political football” and a “stunt”.
Mr Mccarty added: “The children
are very frightened about this, this talk he’s coming out with, it’s very frightening for kids. I never thought this issue would ever come to this, we would be happy with the houses, but this isn’t what they promised us.
“There is no reason for Mr Casey to come down here and talk down to us, what does he know about us?” TJ Hogan, a social policy writer for the Irish Traveller Network, said: “I’d like Mr Casey to retract what he said, he’s not a president who would represent me or my family or the diverse communities we have here in Ireland.”
On Wednesday night during a live TV debate, Mr Casey accused the other candidates of lying when they said they would have no issue with Travellers living next door to them. He stood by his comments yesterday but did not make an effort to speak to any of the Travelling community who were nearby. Mr Casey said: “The proclamation says we should cherish all the children of the nation equally, it doesn’t say we should cherish some more than others. I want to get attention to this, people need to stand up and say something is wrong when it’s wrong, there are people sleeping in the streets. It’s wrong we’re separating one group and saying; ‘You’re different’.
“The president is the voice for the majority as well, I would seek to be the voice of everyone in Ireland.”
His remarks were divisive and largely designed to get attention
LEO VARADKAR
YESTERDAY