Never a quiet day for Peter Casey.
Peter Casey has come under fire in recent days for his comments regarding the Travelling community and said on Friday that he’s taking a break from campaigning this weekend, and will consider whether to pull out of the presidential race.
In response to Casey’s comments, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar hit out at the candidate saying: “In relation to the comments by Peter Casey, the presidential candidate, all I can say is I think his remarks were very divisive, I think they were designed to gain attention for him and his campaign, and I think that’s really regrettable.
“I hope when the people of Ireland come to Ireland to vote next Friday they will give Mr Casey and anyone who holds those views a very clear message.”
Casey has refused to back down from the comments he made stating on Virgin Media One’s debate: “I stand by the remarks.”
However, according to the Irish Independent, Casey believes it was “totally out of order for the Taoiseach to get involved and make statements that impact the presidential election”.
He told the Taoiseach to “shut [his] trap”, went on to describe him as “being a member of an ethnic community himself” and “being Indian”.
Varadkar’s father is Indian, but he was born in Ireland and has lived in Ireland all of his life.
Earlier this week, Casey said that Travellers were “basically people camping in other people’s land” and that they are “not paying their fair share of taxes in society.”
Pavee Point, the Traveller advocacy group, described the comments as “grossly insulting and offensive”, according to the Irish Times.
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