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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has defended the answer he gave to a question on homelessness at the Fine Gael conference earlier this month – although he has conceded he may have been answering a different question to the one he was asked.
Varadkar’s response to the initial question from TheJournal.ie’s reporter Christina Finn provoked widespread criticism last week – veteran campaigner Fr Peter McVerry amongst those taking issue with the answer.
She had asked the Taoiseach about Ireland having one of the highest homelessness figures “to date”.
“I can certainly say that that statement is incorrect,” Varadkar responded. “Ireland has one of the lowest levels of homelessness. We’re actually a country by international standards compared with our peers that has a low level of homelessness.”
Asked to back up his statement, the Taoiseach responded:
They’re the stats and we can provide them for you and that of course is a good thing. It’s a good thing that in Ireland we’ve a low level of homelessness compared to our peer countries.
But what’s better than that is that we don’t think that’s good enough and we want to continue to reduce homelessness in the years ahead.
The Government later provided an OECD report which it said the Taoiseach was referencing. However, a TheJournal.ie FactCheck published last Wednesday night - based on the OECD report and other international statistics – returned a verdict of “unproven” on the Taoiseach’s claims about how Ireland’s homeless rate measures up internationally.
In recent days, the Government has come under sharp criticism for comments made by the Taoiseach, with senior Government figures speaking publicly to defend the Taoiseach’s remarks.
The Taoiseach himself tweeted out a statement saying that “context matters” in relation to the question he was asked, saying that he had been asked a question “about Ireland having one of the highest homelessness levels”.
That claim was repeated again yesterday. Speaking to Aine Lawlor on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said:
The context of the question was about international comparisons.
Junior Minister at the Department of Housing, Damien English, also referenced the claim again in the Dáil last Tuesday, adding that media coverage of the homelessness crisis is “damaging to Ireland’s international reputation”.
Varadkar – along with Murphy – was in Clongriffin in north Dublin this morning to unveil the foundation stone for 84 new social homes (which fell and smashed moments after being unveiled).
At the event, it was pointed out to the Taoiseach that the government was claiming that the initial question asked was about international standards, when it was about the level of homelessness here in Ireland.
Asked why the media was now being told that he had been asked a question about “international comparisons”, when in fact that was not the question, Varadkar said:
The question as I understood it was, and I think… if I’m quoting correctly, was that homelessness in Ireland was one of the highest, and I understood that to mean one of the highest in an international context.
Perhaps that wasn’t the question. But it’s not for me to explain what someone’s question was, I can only explain the answer and defend the answers that I give.
While the Taoiseach acknowledges that he may have misunderstood the question posed at the Fine Gael conference, this isn’t the first time the Government has compared Ireland’s rate of homelessness to international figures.
Announcing the housing budget on 10 October, Murphy said Ireland’s rate of homelessness was “low by international standards, which is a good thing”.
That same month, Varadkar said in a speech that homelessness in Ireland is “low by international standards”. A week before the Fine Gael conference, Murphy made a similar statement at the launch of the Peter McVerry Trust’s annual report.
At today’s unveiling, the Taoiseach said that “to some people, these new apartments that are being built don’t exist and don’t count, and they will never count or exist because they’re not a direct build by a local authority”.
“It’s being done by a different model which is a longterm lease involving an approved housing body in this case the Iveagh Trust. But they do exist, they will be completed around this time next year and will provide longterm secure housing for 85 individuals and their families.”
He added that the Clongriffin Town Centre development would be part of a programme that will involve almost 7,000 public homes next year, about half directly built by local authorities and another half provided through other mechanisms “including long-term leases”.
- With reporting from Daragh Brophy
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Amazing before becoming taoiseach Loe would answer questions on not just his brief but everyone else’s too now he cant answer simple questions. Enda JR
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh:
Leo needs to learn that two lies do not make the truth.
Gob-A-Job.
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: I could answer any question to make you happy without responsibility. I believe Loe is capable of leading the country.
@Dáithí Ó Raghallaigh: Remember his recordas health minister? He then cheek to demonise the poor while welfare minister and tok took 5 million of societys money to spin everything FG or more often lack of housing and waiting lists in health action
@Sean Wong: Really? Why? He’s not shown any capability to do so yet…..
That’s a 5 MILLION € Answer!
@Colette Kearns: I bet we can get cheaper clown (and probably better).
@Colette Kearns:
He has made it worse by opening his gob again.
Wrong answer to right question
Or right answer to wrong question
Which one is it Leo?
Fool.
@cortisola: Certainly couldn’t be any worse.
@Christy Nolan: Another Kellyanne Conway with “Alternative “ facts!
Varadkar is investing much more effort is massaging the truth about homelessness than in addressing the reality of homelessness.
@Fiona deFreyne: he is simply responding to those questioning the statistics and what AAA-PBP-SF supporters think is a hot political football – but the general public are quite bored of it for several days.
@Fiona deFreyne: which is why it is up to the people of Ireland to raise this humanitarian catastrophe internationally.
Foreign firms would be foolish in the extreme to invest in a developing nation like Ireland.
@alphanautica:
“Shut your gob and grow up”
@alphanautica: you are incorrect. Comparative statistics was certainly not the question and he got the answer wrong. Truth Checks shows that the statistics are not comparable.
What do you and FG thinks is an acceptable percentage of homelessness in Ireland?
@Colin Morris: we have too embarass this FG led Government internationalally in the hope that it might eventually be shamed into taking real and effective measures to address this terrible crisis.
@Colin Morris: so you would prefer that we don’t generate job and growth. Take say 20 euro a month off every citizen over 18 and ring fence it for building social housing with a new approach of responsibility for upkeep with tenant. That would get things moving and get some cash in. A small team centrally to coordinate the effort.
@alphanautica: There you have it. Not only does Leo think that the right way to reduce homelessness is to “redefine” the term, but blueshirt fanboy Alphanautica is suggesting that the issue of homelessness is “quite boring”. Stay classy, FG.
@lavbeer: Then another 20 for water, 20 for carbon emissions fines, 20 for arts & crafts……
@alphanautica: no we are not, who are u to speak for me ?
@alphanautica: For those who are on our capital’s streets, I don’t think the general public talking about homelessness is seen by them as boring. FG spin on the other hand would be a whole different story.
@lavbeer: Ringfence? Well, there’s a laugh. Like the pension pot? FFG definition of ringfence is to treat any such monies as a deposit for paying off the smelly Investors etc.
So the reaction to his dishonest reply backfired so now Leo is telling more lies.
Why are taxpayers expected to pay for his multi million department of Propoganda.
@Colin Morris: I blame his mate, Eric Howell.
http://www.thejournal.ie/leo-varadkar-eric-howell-facebook-account-1760065-Nov2014/
@Dot Com:
I see Leo may have misled the Dail on the Maurice McCabe/Higgins Report. Its a scandal every week with this lot of amateurs
FG have a history of confused taoiseachs…
@Kieran OKeeffe:
Leo “Shut your Gob and Grow up”
@Christy Nolan: Leo, Put a sock in it.
Leo Varadkar and FG’s attempts to normalise homelessness and dehumanise the homeless is evil to the core.
It is no surprise that Fine Gael was originally a fascist party that shared many National Socialist ideals.
@Colin Morris: ‘originally’? They still are.
And this from the guy who’s spending millions of taxpayer’s hard earned on consultants, advisors and socks.
A spoofer of the highest order.
@Dean Moriarity: his attempts to normalise homelessness is far more sinister than mere spoofing.
@Colin Morris: he tried to normalise by saying that Ireland has one of the lowest levels of homelessness – is that what you mean by normalise? Because the fact check couldn’t disprove it and in countries similar to ourselves in how stats are collected – oil rich Norway well outperformed us
@Colin Morris:
Point taken.
When you asked me about… I though that you were asking me about… but I was answering in another context about… but that was not what it was about but, if it was, I was answering about…except maybe now I think that I thought that it was about… even if may not have been that.
That’s what €5 million on the Special Communications Unit Management gets you.
Obfuscation, blather, diversion and nonsense.
@Fiona deFreyne: ENDA Kenny didn’t have to spend €5m to achieve similar.
The lady’s for turning!
Leo is more interested in socks and spoons than citizens needing proper social housing & vital healthcare
Listen Leo will you just get on with housing anyone who wants a house already, Jeeeeze. What is this guys problem????
https://www.herald.ie/news/over-half-on-housing-list-are-foreign-27973856.html
Oh oh……….
@Danny foley: nice neo-fascist FG move there.
Blame the foreigner for our government’s hatred of Ireland.
@Danny foley: I’m Irish can I have a free house please? How much will that policy cost the tax payers?
@Colin Morris: No, I blame foreign people I blame government policy on immigration. Mentioning that is beyond your pale obviously.
@Danny foley: I don’t blame foreign people.
How can a house that is not built yet and cannot be lived in be counted as existing? It cannot be counted as a home until somebody is living in it. Comical Leo springs to mind.
Leo, the €5,000,000. You took to enhance you image is not working. If you are going to lie at least make it believable. Yes the people who get up early in the morning are the working people who were forced by austerity implemented by your party to repay for the gangesterism of F.F.which ironically now keep you in power. Another section of Irish citizens also get up early in the morning… they are the homeless and families put up in hotels They have nowhere else to go. Thatcher alive and well in you Leo.
Must have got that line from an old “Yes Minister “script,you have wasted your money on that Spin Squad .
leo cares little for homeless,working homeless,sick children,sick adults,disabled,child / working poverty,in his six yrs in government all the above have risen and continue to rise,if he cared he lab and f/g should have at least stopped the increasing of all of the above and the mess that is health and justice departments
Why did your reporter say “one of the highest homelessness figures to date” surely the phrase “one of the” suggest comparison.
@steve white: comparison over time and not comparison between countries.
The controversy occurred with the assertion that the currently level of homelessness in Ireland is the worst since the famine in Ireland.
What is considered to be an acceptable level of family homelessness in Ireland?
@Fiona deFreyne: What Leo claims I guess…..
A clown
Feeble
LEO would you ever go away and pull up your socks ,we aint buying your obfuscation .you can fool some of the people some of the time ,you can even fool all of the people some of the time but you cant fool all of the people all of the time ,your spin machine is already falling of the wall ,better to have spent that 5 million building social housing ,lest then you would see something solid and permanent for your money .
Absolute b0llix.
Varadkar has no interest, thats why he didn’t know.its all look at mememememe with Varadkar.
Garrett Fitzgerald’s “flawed pedigree ” description keeps popping into my head…..,not sure why
People though they had seen the worst when Kenny was Taoiseach. Leo, a short few months in the job has proved himself even worse than Kenny. And i didn’t think it possible that anyone could be worse.
Leo is a spin merchant, never was anything else in his other ministries. He thinks spin is enough because he thinks people are gullible fools. He’s prepared to spend 5 million and more on it.
All while FG systematically and delibereatly destroy the fabric of society.
Excellent leadership once again by Leo.
#FeelingGoodWithFineGael
@frank sullivan: Let the people decide his excellence and call an election.
frank sullivan: Come back Enda please, all is forgiven. Oh God, did I just say that? New I wasn’t to well today, but I didn’t think I was that bad.
@frank sullivan: are you on drugs? You seem to be with that statement.
@Shakka1244: The FG fraperoom has buckets of drugs to make them come out with that stuff.
@Rob Cahill: #FeelingGougedWithFineGael
@Shakka1244: frank is tommy mc donagh, dane tighe etc..
He is trying to spin, spin. Tied himself in knots.
Because he’s rich and the homeless are poor?
Guys, I’ve a stressful job as it is, can’t even show a pair of socks without a torrent of abuse from those who don’t get up in the morning. I have misunderstood, I apologize for this, but we have the situation under control no need to fret at all.
Haha. Leo’s digging big holes and millions of his spin units money is going down the drain! And unfortunately, it’s the taxpayer that’s going to pay for his idiotic behaviour.
Is it better to say we have a low rate of homlessness, rather than ‘No’ homelessness?? It appears that once we’re 1% better than the next country, we’re off the hook.
Yes but more importantly what colour socks is telflon thatcherite leo wearing today?
How do Foundation Stones used on construction projects in 2017 Ireland measure up Internationally?
We don’t need any more of the quicksand that floated about during CT era!
That sums up the quality of building in Ireland.
Residing in a 3 or 4 star hotel costing the tax payer approx 30 grand a year even tho you could easily live at home with your parents and most nights probably do while turning down free (paid by other tax payer) houses that don’t fit your expectations seems to count as homelessness these days. Gas
The real issue here is not the Taoiseach’s apparent confusion but the lack of credible up to date and independent statistics. We need to know pretty accurately how many private and social houses/appartments of all types are under construction/planned/expected to be completed and further we need to know how many people are actually “homeless”…broken down to genuine/bogus/new immigrant/those who are classed as homeless but don’t want a home or want it next door to thei mammy…how many are families with children or single and how many actually have no option…a hotel/b&b/shelter…how can you blame a politician for not knowing when no one really knows!
@winston smith: Would you not think that some reporter would want to make a name for him or herself by going out to where all those houses are supposed to be under construction and let us all know the truth of the situation.
You don’t need a reporter to tell you what you can see for yourself…there are hundreds of private houses under construction in and around the Dublin area. For the detail required one would need a team of qualified statisticians to carry out the operation.
@winston smith: Some body has to sign off on the construction of those houses. Ask the people in the planning department how many houses they have given planning permission for regarding governmental applications.
Stephen Can’t agree more .I personally know “homeless” people who refused a house because it was to “far out of town” They decided to stay in thier hotel pending a ” gaf” where they didn’t have to spend nearly half an hour on a bus town
Hashtag Aviva.
these politicians have to realise they are not in america,people in this country don’t believe everything they are told and take time to inform themselves!!
Plaque falling over and smashing = karma.
Otherwise, Leo needs to pull up his themed socks.
@Anthony Halpin: Reminds me of the Burton foray in Thomastown. Wool,pulling.
A stand up comedian is our Leo
Your time has come to leave the stage and take your failed Fine Gale pals with you .
This is MY IRELAND
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
His expensive spin merchants obviously never heard of when in hole stop digging
ed w : what Leo does in his personal life his is own business.
When overseas visitors visit Dublin they only see those sleeping rough in public places
as “homeless” Given on any night there are only a few hundred sleeping rough, the
local Government should introduce by-laws banning sleeping rough and provide the neccessary hostels. This is the highly visible tip of the homeless icebery and it is
not a good look for either the city or the country.
It seems silly for Irish volunteers and charity resources to be deployed overseas when those resources and services are badly needed here at home.
Leo = hash tag gobs**te an embarrassment of an apparently well educated person.
So this the reason for the PR company and at only €5,000,000 per year along with ol Leos salary, expenses and allowances…….. not worth it!
Unfortunately simple fact fg/ff and lb have no interest in housing IRISH homeless people, their ei/eu agenda is to house/educate/medical care & social welfare payments to NON EU persons coming here while are educated young people have no choice but to leave here, we do not seem to have an ability to use LOGIG when making decisions, the eu does that for us!
government needs to realise there is no acceptable number of homelessness nor deserving or undeserving homeless life is far too short to pay a thirty year mortgage for a dolls house to pay for a nursing home where you are considered to out live your usefulness Leo first do no harm forget the cool socks and start thinking of ways to provide house keys to those who get up early in the morning be they homeless as staying in bed is not an option or those who work take the garda and the nurse early risers I’m sure Leo you would agree they cannot afford the keys of housing either I realise that failing in political portfolios is a reason to be promoted in politics but your there stop now and and think of others and first try to do no harm regards from a sorry paid up member of Fine Gael
We are starting to see now that Leo is cut from the same cloth as the rest of them. Same old, same old.
H
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