"“We are known as the home for the handouts" - Fine Gael Councillor

[Fullforward]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

 

[Erudite Caveman]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

Shouldn't the first question we ask be 'Is he right?'. If he is right, then it is acceptable, because it has to be acceptable to tell the truth.

I thing he is wrong though. I googled 'the home for the handouts' and the only thing that came up was his quote.

“When a person from another country comes into our country without work, and who has never worked before, they do it for the social welfare benefit and all the trimmings which go with it.

“They are nothing more than social welfare tourists who are improving their status and getting more money than they would in other jurisdictions.”

Does he have any figures to show how many people come from Eastern Europe and have just claimed SW and never worked here? A huge problem would suggest huge numbers.

 

[Socratus O' Pericles]

As with everything I'd like to see his facts, evidence and workings. This stuff he stands over surely has an evidential basis.





Though I imagine it all has a touch of Scrodinger's immigrant about it.

 

[macnessa]

It is not racist to express such views. Now when it comes to who the recipients of real major handouts are, namely Africans, why didn't this man express the same views? Is it perhaps that in the case of Africans, political correctness rules the roost.

 

[Fullforward]

Shouldn't the first question we ask be 'Is he right?'. If he is right, then it is acceptable, because it has to be acceptable to tell the truth.

I thing he is wrong though. I googled 'the home for the handouts' and the only thing that came up was his quote.

No, the first question should be whatever comes into your mind. People react differently to such emotional issues.

 

[Fullforward]

It is not racist to express such views. Now when it comes to who the recipients of real major handouts are, namely Africans, why didn't this man express the same views? Is it perhaps that in the case of Africans, political correctness rules the roost.

Do you have a link to figures for that?

 

[eoghanacht]

Is he as vocal about the handouts Redacted gets from FG??

 

[Socratus O' Pericles]

It is not racist to express such views. Now when it comes to who the recipients of real major handouts are, namely Africans, why didn't this man express the same views? Is it perhaps that in the case of Africans, political correctness rules the roost.

This is going to be a doozy, slàn go fóill.....

 

[Erudite Caveman]

Is he as vocal about the handouts Redacted gets from FG??

That is p1ss poor whataboutery.

 

[realistic1]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

Wheter it is true or not, this guy has ensured his re-election, simple as!

 

[Spanner Island]

If the 'system' here is too lenient then it's Irish people running an Irish 'system' who are to blame for that.

Scapegoating immigrants when there are inevitably plenty of Irish people availing of such a system is just lazy arsed bias.

Are the comments racist?

Nah... not imo.

Are people sure what racism means?

Because it seems to be used far too much and inaccurately... including when referring to Muslims and Islam... neither of which are specific races but are made up of many races.

 

[Clanrickard]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

Reading the link he had a point. The housing shortage is down to increased immigration.

 

[Spirit Of Newgrange]

generous handouts are like a cancer in Ireland. And its not racist, it discriminates against hardworking people who get out of bed in the morning and pay their taxes.

sure, its a magnet for foreign scroungers, but its also a hammock for lazy longterm irish scroungers. These irish ones make it impossible for employers to get any irish staff for minimum wage jobs.....leading to more immigration. High dole = more longterm irish scroungers, more immigrant scroungers, more immigrant 'minimum wage unskilled' workers, more demand for housing, = more housing crisis = normal working irish getting shafted for accommodation prices.

the irish welfare State is totally out of sync with reality. Bring back 'work for dole' , dormitory accommodation on ghost estates, and time limits on claiming benefits, plus the tory style 'benefits cap' for those who seem to think its ok to have a dozen kids and sky sports at the taxpayers expense.

and you got no work-based skills ? you get a lower dole for the crime of your sloth. You never paid much taxes ? get less dole. Why should an unemployed brain surgeon be eligible for the same dole as a knacker who left school at age 12 ?

 

[Spanner Island]

Reading the link he had a point. The housing shortage is down to increased immigration.

I think the housing shortage in Ireland is the result of a lot more reasons than immigration whatever way you look at it.

For at least 5 years there have been loud and persistent warnings about a looming housing crisis... and as per feckin' usual... we end up playing catch up (with all the short cuts and bullsh!t that entails) because for whatever reason... we seem incapable of planning anything in Ireland...

 

[Watcher2]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

If its true, its not racist. Labeling it as racist is insidious if the comments are true and we are seen as easy pickings. Why would it be racist?

In fairness, there is an element of truth in it at least. Remember the €1,000 per child paid as part of the costs of childcare which was given to one parent even if the children lived in another country? Even childrens allowance is also given if the children live in another country. So what? You might ask. Well, its paid at the rate applicable top costs in this country while the child lives ion a country where the costs are merely a fraction. There is something just "not right" about that.

Take also the "back to school" allowance. Once you qualify under the income thresholds, ALL children in the family receive it irrespective of whether they are of school going age or not.

So, I don't believe the comments are racist and I suspect they are very, very true.

 

[realistic1]

generous handouts are like a cancer in Ireland. And its not racist, it discriminates against hardworking people who get out of bed in the morning and pay their taxes.

sure, its a magnet for foreign scroungers, but its also a hammock for lazy longterm irish scroungers. These irish ones make it impossible for employers to get any irish staff for minimum wage jobs.....leading to more immigration.

the irish welfare State is totally out of sync with reality.

That old chestnut that the Irish will not work for Minimum wage. There is vast swathed of Irish workers that simple cannot get minimum wage work because some employers prefer to employ foreign workers.

I do agree that there is also a large cohort of native layabouts that are been enabled by Social welfare handouts.

 

[Watcher2]

Shouldn't the first question we ask be 'Is he right?'. If he is right, then it is acceptable, because it has to be acceptable to tell the truth.

I thing he is wrong though. I googled 'the home for the handouts' and the only thing that came up was his quote.



Does he have any figures to show how many people come from Eastern Europe and have just claimed SW and never worked here? A huge problem would suggest huge numbers.

You think he is wrong because you googled "home for the handouts"?

Oh well then. :roll:

 

[gerhard dengler]

Payments received from "the system" should be determined by the level and number of contributions one has paid in to "the system", regardless of ethnicity/race/colour/creed.

A waiver should naturally apply to those with physical and intellectual disabilities.

 

[Dame_Enda]

Why should he apologise? The cost of living in Eastern Europe is a fraction of Irelands yet the welfare yet EU rules force us to give them not the rates available in their countries of origin, but rather those of Ireland. And furthermore, it is simply a fact that Keary states about how immigration is the reason for increases in housing and hospital waiting lists. Thats what happens when you allow hundreds of thousands into a country of 4-5 million in a relatively short period.

I am not surprised the Examiner runs to Labour and Solidarity for condemnatory remarks. These parties have always tried to close down this debate.

 

[Uganda]

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to condemn “racist” comments made by a Limerick Fine Gael councillor.

Councillor Stephen Keary, is the father-in-law of junior minister Patrick O’Donovan and has defended comments in which he suggested welfare recipients from Eastern Europe see Ireland as “easy pickings”.

“We are known as the home for the handouts. They see us as easy pickings,” said Mr Keary.

“People have come here from Eastern Europe for the handouts. It has become a huge problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said the Taoiseach had been briefed on the matter

The Councilor in question Mr Keary, continued to defend his comments yesterday, stating: “I stand over everything I said.”

Is he Racist, are his comments now common currency in Ireland? Is it acceptable?

Should he be elevated to the position of Mayor as is presently proposed?


Leo Varadkar pressured to condemn

Racist? NO.

Comments common currency? NO (unfortunately)

Is it acceptable? YES

Should he be elevated? YES>