Minister: 'Varadkar comments verging on racism'

A Government Minister has said a Fine Gael TD is verging on being racist, because of his suggestion that unemployed foreign nationals could be given a lump sum to go home.

Mary Hanafin was reacting to comments made by Dublin West TD Leo Varadkar at the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

He said they could be given up to six months worth of unemployment benefit, not to force them to go home, but as an option.

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs said it would be appalling to make such an offer and would be verging on racism.