Wide-spread condemnation for Verona Murphy after asylum seeker comments

However, members from across the opposition have lashed out at Ms Murphy who suggested asylum seeker children as young as three years of age need to be "deprogrammed" as they may have been manipulated by ISIS.

A Fine Gael by-election candidate has been accused of cynically using a vulnerable group of people to deflect from the failings of Government.

Verona Murphy, who is standing in the Wexford by-election for Fine Gael, has apologised for remarks made to three different media organisations about asylum seekers and has visited a direct provision centre in her constituency.