Taoiseach refuses to take the opportunity to apologies for his ‘slow learners’ remark following question about Sinn Fein coalition

28 comments

1. Pauline Tully TD Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Disability and Carers asked Leo whether he will apologize for his ablest remarks on ‘slow learners’.

   He responds by saying Sinn Fein should reflect on the remarks they made about IRA violence. And that he stands by the quote as he was not referring to people with disabilities when he called SF ‘slow learners’.

2. To paraphrase, for those who can’t be arsed watching…

   “Taoiseach, can you apologise for your offensive remark about slow learners which was inappropriate language for the head of State to use and hurtful to a lot of people?”

   “I agree that Sinn Féin need to reflect on the hurtful language they use especially in regards to victims of sectarian violence”

3. This just reminded me: remember a FG senator had to apologise for describing Varadkar as “autistic”, and then *in* the apology she used the n-word and had to apologise for that. Good times.

4. Que the outrage with bonus Leo mentioned Sinn Fein

5. If Leo doesn’t realise that people don’t really care about his comments about the Shinners and are more concerned with the absolute fuck up he and his buddies have made of literally every aspect of Irish life …… maybe he’s the slow learner.

6. He’s such a little brat. Are fine Gael people actually happy with this lad as leader of the party?

   I expect a basic level of maturity from a senior politician especially an Taoiseach. I hate to use the comparison but this is like the simple minded pettiness and narsisitic statements you’d hear Donald trump making whenever he was criticised.

7. I love how fine gael and fianna fail always retort with sinn feins track record in the North. How about you run candidates or shut the fuck up about it.

8. eh, maybe i missed some of the detail, should we not be saying people are slow learners? are reasonable people offended by this? what about slow off the mark or slow to catch on etc?

9. “I know you are but what am I?”

10. Of course the sniveling little rat has to try and turn it back on SF. He’s a coward & a disgrace.

11. 44 year old leader of a country going *”I know you are but what am I.”*

    What a childish prick.

12. Has he nothing better to be doing than constantly trying to one-up his political opponents? It’s exhausting.

13. Whatever about anything else – it’s not very politically astute.

    If he simply states “sorry, my comments were a bit insensitive. I regret any offence caused”…and it becomes a non-story. Instead of this, he offers a deflection and non-apology.

14. Donald Trump got shit for mocking a disabled reporter during a rally. Nobody expects him to apologize because he’s a piece of shit.

    You’d think Leo would realize a mistake and correct it. He’s on a level above Trump.

15. I know Varadkar doesn’t like people like me.
    People like me don’t like Varadkar.

    The world keeps spinning

16. Politically correct nonsense.

17. I have this image of Leo getting up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, missing the bowl, and sleepily mumbling “fk’sake, ‘s Sinn Fein’s fault” before shambling back to bed to dream happy dreams about being reelected despite his constant failures as a human being and a leader.

18. Is slow learner some thing that people need to apologize for now?

19. Leo doesn’t have to apologize ! He can’t be touched.

20. That’s the guy he is, he’s a stuck up cunt. I hope he gets caught out by someone in the special needs community or something along those lines

21. “Slow learners” eventually do learn though, as this pompous prick will find out next election. Hope he’s still registered with the medical council

22. SF is leading FG in the poles. Sounds like FG are so far behind they think they are in the lead.

23. Isn’t X for slow learners a common phrase though? No one got upset when SDLP’s Séamus Mallon said that the GFA was Sunningdale for slow learners. I’ve also heard that phrase repeated many times over the years by many public figures and not once did anyone find it objectionable back then.

    I feel like there’s a touch of manufactured outrage here because of who said it.

    There’s something about exaggerating minor slip ups of polticians that especially annoys me when said polticians have done more than enough for people to be critical.

    I don’t understand it. Just wait a few days and he’ll give you actual ammunition to criticise him over.

24. It’s a famous political remark – the Good Friday Agreement was Sunningdale for slow learners.

    Honestly the faux offense being taken over this comment is so pathetic.

25. Slow learner is not an offensive term for the love of god…..I have a learning disability, and this is in no way offensive. Some people are slow learners.

26. Ahh.. Leo with his page of go-to phrases. i hope you’ll reflect on that..

    He’s away with the fairies.

27. Mick Caul says ‘upset to disabled people’ but he’d be better off thinking about it, taking a breath and saying ‘people living with a disability’ because the so-called disability does not define the person. Choose yer words carefully, assholes.

28. I’m Autistic and probably have ADHD, can I report him to the Guards for “stirring up hatred” against me?