Varadkar defends controversial 'slow learners' comments amid backlash

Leo Varadkar said he was "happy to clarify" that his remarks were not in reference to disability in any way. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The Taoiseach has defended controversial remarks in which he used the term "slow learners" to describe Sinn Féin's approach to policy.

Leo Varadkar has declined to apologise and instead sought to clarify the use of the term in an interview with the Irish Examiner after the Dáil was told that his comments had reduced one mother of a severely disabled girl to tears.

Sinn Féin's Pauline Tully told the Taoiseach that she "doesn't care" whether Fine Gael agrees with Sinn Féin policy or not, but she said she does care about the choice of words used by politicians.

"You have caused deep upset to disabled people, especially those with intellectual disabilities, and language is important.

"Some words are not appropriate, whether it's in relation to disability or sexual orientation or race or colour."

She added: "One woman contacted me to say those words were used to her about her baby daughter 42 years ago. Her daughter has a severe physical and intellectual disability, and her life has not been easy and you reduced her to tears. 

"She just felt for the head of government to utter words like that was totally inappropriate," Ms Tully said in calling on the Taoiseach to apologise.

Mr Varadkar said he was "happy to clarify" that his remarks were not in reference to disability in any way.

He told the Dáil: "I'm very happy to clarify that for anyone who may have thought so, it was a quote from Seamus Mallon from 25 years ago."

He told Ms Tully: "I appreciate that people need to be sensitive in the words they use and that applies to you and your party as well. I hope you'll reflect on that, given the many things you've said in the past, particularly relation to victims of violence."

However, Ms Tully said it was " not good enough" to say that he was paraphrasing what somebody else had said.

Mr Varadkar has been stronly criticised for using the term by a number of groups including Access for All Ireland and Inclusion Ireland.

He said: "Watching Sinn Féin, it is like politics for slow learners sometimes. I think it was Seamus Mallon who famously described the Good Friday Agreement as Sunningdale for slow learners because Sinn Féin finally accepted democracy and peace and power sharing and consent."