Sinn Féin has called on its councillor Paddy Holohan to apologise for remarks he has made about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The MMA fighter-turned-local politician had come under fire for remarks made about Varadkar when discussing his credentials as leader of the government.
Speaking on an episode of his No Shame podcast, Holohan said: “We need people running the country — and not against Leo — but to me, I want a family man running the country.
“Someone that knows what it’s like to have kids, maybe hopefully boys and girls, so when you’re creating the policies and stuff that’s going to go on, that you’re like right, it makes sense.”
In a previous episode featuring director Terry McMahon, Holohan had also made remarks Varadkar’s Indian heritage on his father’s side, saying: “He’s so separated not even from society now but he’s so separated from the history of this country.
“Leo Varadkar’s blood obviously runs to India. His great-grandfather is not part of the history of this country. Now Leo obviously is.
“He’s an Irish citizen but his passion doesn’t go back to the times when our passion goes back to.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElRmMqusWHU
In a statement issued to JOE on Thursday, a spokesperson for Sinn Féin said: “Paddy Holohan has made comments on his podcast that have caused offence, and are quite obviously not the views of Sinn Féin.
“He should apologise and withdraw these remarks.”
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