'I want an apology from Taoiseach for work jibe'
An Athlone man whose bus business closed down last year is calling on the Taoiseach to apologise for telling him: "you could do with a day's work, I'd say."
Enda Kenny made this comment on Monday afternoon in response to a heckle from Gordon Hudson, who is the head of the Athlone campaign against household and septic tank charges.
In the Dáil yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett called on the Taoiseach to apologise for the "demeaning and insulting" comment, asking him if it was part of "a new Government policy of contempt for people who are out of work."
Mr Kenny replied that he had been "the subject and victim of a range of verbal comments" from protesters, and that his philosophy was to make decisions in Government that would help lead to the creation of jobs.
"I empathise with everybody who does want to work but can't find employment," he said. "The priority and focus of Government is getting people back working."
The incident at Golden Island occurred on Monday afternoon. Mr Hudson and a number of other protesters confronted Mr Kenny while he was campaigning for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on the fiscal treaty.
The local man told Mr Kenny to "take the bridge, head west, and stay there," to which the Taoiseach replied: "you could do with a day's work, I'd say."
Mr Hudson was furious about this comment, telling Mr Kenny that he had been self employed for "29 years and had to pack it in because of ye."
An audio clip of the exchange, which was posted on the Westmeath Independent's website at 5pm on Monday, has been listened to over 2,000 times.
Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Hudson said his bus company had to cease trading because of "ill health and the recession" last August.
"The cheek of (the Taoiseach), to make a statement like that to somebody that has worked all their life in this country," said Mr Hudson.
"He came across as very, very arrogant. For the role he plays, as leader of the country, that kind of attitude is seriously wrong."
He added that the Athlone campaign against household and septic tank charges would be be continuing in the weeks ahead.
* For a transcript of the exchange, and to hear the audio clip, see here: http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/05/14/4010403-taoiseachs-jibe-at-athlone-protester/
* For more coverage of the Taoiseach's visit to Athlone, see this week's edition of the Westmeath Independent.