Calls for Alan Dukes to retract 'incendiary' comments about people living on the border

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, who represents the Cavan-Monaghan constituency said Mr Dukes' comments were 'wrong and he should apologise'

The comments have been severely criticised with local TDs demanding they be withdrawn. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A Fine Gael minister has demanded that former party leader Alan Dukes apologise for his comments about people living on the border, with calls mounting for the “incendiary” comments to be retracted.

Mr Dukes was commenting in an RTÉ documentary about the demise of the Sean Quinn empire and said: “Border people have it in their blood. They are living in communities that have a long history of violence of different kinds. And they will more easily turn to it than anyone else will.