Back on dry land... but Joanie still in hot water with her critics
YOU might think that Joan Burton had suffered enough this week when the boat she was travelling in capsized and plunged her into icy flood waters in Kilkenny.
But her critics have no problem with hitting a woman when she’s down, and soaking wet.
Some observers have complained that the Tánaiste was not wearing a life jacket when she fell out of a boat while visiting a flooded community in Thomastown.
Ms Burton and Junior Minister Ann Phelan were planning to visit local man Shem Caulfield’s home by canoe when it tipped both women into the water. The Labour leader later tweeted: ‘I believe in politics you must push the boat out. Maybe not this way though!’
The incident caused a flurry of tweets and messages on social media – most people poked fun but some questioned why the women weren’t wearing life jackets.
The Irish Water Safety guidelines for flooded areas are quite clear on the issue. They advise that you should ‘wear suitable protective clothing and a life jacket in, on or around water’. While the water the Tánaiste fell into was not deep – leading many to wonder why a boat was required at all – some people questioned whether she should have set a better example for other people in flooded areas.
Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea said the Tánaiste should have been wearing a life jacket ‘to set a good example for people’.
Mr O’Dea, who is Fianna Fáil spokesman for social protection, said: ‘The water was quite shallow where she was so there was no real danger of her drowning, but she should have taken safety precau-
tions to set a good example for others in flooded areas.
‘Whenever I visit a building site we aren’t allowed to be photographed without a hard hat and high-vis vest on – not because we are in immediate danger, but to set a good example,’ he said.
But when questioned on this last night, a spokesman for Ms Burton dodged the question and declined to address the issue raised.
‘The Tánaiste was visiting Kilkenny to meet members of the community affected by flooding. The safety of those affected has been the Government’s paramount concern in responding to the flooding,’ said the representative.
‘The Tánaiste has in place a humanitarian assistance scheme through her department to help households in need of financial assistance as result of damage.’
When the spokesman was asked to specifically address the question asked, he once more declined to discuss the issue, and asked that his previous answer be used in full. A spokesman for either the Environment or Agriculture departments – Ms Phelan is a junior minister attached to both – were unable to be raised yesterday.
Government sources last night said that, despite her tweet, Ms Burton privately was not seeing the funny side of the boat mishap.
One source suggesting it might have been karma for what some in Fine Gael circles saw as an attempt to show up Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s leadenfooted response to the crisis.