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Updated 19:35
A FIANNA FÁIL Senator has said he will not get into a taxi driven by someone who is not from Ireland.
Senator Paschal Mooney told the Seanad chamber this afternoon that “obvious non-national” drivers often don’t know “one end of the street from the other”. He said that he was not being racist but that he now chooses “local taxi drivers” instead because they are more likely to know their way around Dublin.
He later apologised and withdrew his remarks, saying that he had been misinterpreted.
One TD said Mooney’s comments were discriminatory and questioned how he can judge someone’s nationality through a car window.
The Senator had told the chamber that there was “stronger than anecdotal evidence that there are people driving taxis around this city who don’t know one end of the street from the other”.
I’ve been in taxis and I have to say, and I’m not in any way being discriminatory here, but it’s nearly always non-nationals. And it’s got to the point where, quite frankly, and I make no apologies for it, that I will now go to a local taxi driver in preference to somebody who’s a non-national- an obvious non-national, and that has nothing to do with the colour of their skin or anything of that nature.
The Senator had been speaking on the Taxi Regulation Bill which was being debated in the Seanad this afternoon. He also noted that drivers in cities such as London have to “jump through hoops” in order to get their licence and said standards are far higher than in Ireland.
Paschal Mooney was given permission to make a personal statement in the Seanad this evening and apologised for his earlier remarks.
He said that he acknowledged the contribution that people from other countries had made to Ireland and reiterated that his comments had not been racist. He told the chamber:
It’s come to my attention that remarks I made about non-nationals during my contribution on the Taxis Regulation Bill 2013 earlier today have been misinterpreted.
I wish to unreservedly withdraw the remarks and apologise for any offence caused. I fully acknowledge and respect the contribution of non-nationals to the life of Ireland, and I clearly stated at the time that my remarks should not have been interpreted as discriminatory to anyone.
Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis questioned exactly how Senator Mooney could tell the nationality of drivers. In a statement this afternoon, Ellis said:
There are people of many different nationalities and cultures working in Ireland in all different sectors. They are part of our communities and economies and Paschal Mooney would do well to remember that before he so callously judges them.
He said his discriminatory practice was not based on colour but I am intrigued as to how Senator Mooney has the ability to discern someone’s nationality through a car window. Regardless it is wrong to do this and wrong for a public representative to openly condone it.
The Integration Centre condemned the Senator’s comments. The organisation’s CEO, Killian Forde, said that what Mooney said was “the very definition of racism.”
Rhetoric such as that spoken by Senator Rooney today in a house of public representatives promotes negative attitudes towards the immigrant community.
Paschal Mooney has been a Senator for all but three years since 1987 and is currently Fianna Fáil’s spokesperson on Social Protection in the Seanad. He was a broadcaster on RTÉ for a number of years before he entered politics.
His comments come less than a week after a Fianna Fáil councillor was strongly criticised for saying Travellers should be segregated from society.
- Additional reporting by Paul Hyland
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How come none of our well paid TDs in the Dail did not explore this option following the bank guarantee (ie hold a referendum and ask the people if they wanted to risk €60,000,000,000 on Anglo et al) – Keaveney needs to stop playing silly buggers – Colm either shut up or get up of your parliamentary posterior and set up your own party. We’ve all had enough talk and tapes this week.
A ‘lot of TDs’, including Mr Coveney, are also in for a shock when they find out the voters have moved on from the old right-wing Catholic conformity.
So he wants women to be forced to continue a pregnancy against thier will which the UN has said is torture?
I suppose the ripping apart, limb by limb of an innocent baby is not torture! Deluded pro aborts show their ugly side once again
Domhnall, that’s a ridiculous and immature comment on such a sensitive subject.
Can we deal with the facts here?
Ignore domhnall, he’s a youth defense shill. All they have is shock tactics and tantrum language.
Pro aborts gets me every time haha. It’s hard to believe that they (YD), are a serious group, when all they sound like are bullies in the playground.
I can’t wait to see their reaction when abortion will be legal!
Why are we still being subjected to the musings of Keaveney? He’s just another Independent TD now. I think there are two hotlines in the Journal office, one direct to Pearse Doherty and one straight to Keaveney.
‘I suppose the ripping apart, limb by limb of an innocent baby is not torture!’
Of course that’s torture. But nothing to do with abortion.
Keavney just relinquished his mandate, and left his electorate swinging in the wind. You can’t have it every way Colm! Tough decisions , jump ship!!! Pathetic !
Sure the reason he left the Labour Party was for the abortion legislation rather than cuts, sure he’s having talks with Ganly, he’s jumped ship to join right wing politics
I seriously doubt Ganley would let that muppet make coffee
“A new referendum removing suicide as a grounds for abortion would also have to include other issues, said Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar.
He said he did not believe it would be possible to vote a third time on the issue without asking questions on allowing terminations on the grounds of rape, alleged rape, incest, the health of the mother or in the case of a foetus incompatible with life.
“People who are pro-life in this House, or outside of this House, who are calling for referendums should be careful about what they wish for because they do not know, for example, how big a Pandora’s Box they may open.’”
I say let the people decide. But any referendum must be worded to suit the people NOT the Catholic church!!
“THE NEWLY-INDEPENDENT TD Colm Keaveney has claimed there are “a lot of people curious” about the possibility of invoking Article 27 of the Constitution and forcing a referendum on the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill.”
“A lot of people are curious” as to how a legislator i.e. YOU feels they can oppose legislating for two previous referenda and a supreme court decision. You are obliged to legislate in support of supreme court decisions. if you refuse to do your job, you should resign your seat.
I am kinda curious myself, let it go to a referendum and pass and see the next excuse that he comes up with.
He’ll claim that we can’t POSSIBLY be sure without four referendums. Maybe five.
I very respectfully suggest that Deputy Keaveney needs to stop now.
What? – censor him?
so much for ” freedom of speech”!
Nobody cares what Keaveney thinks.
I suppose mr keavney has to keep in the news somehow -
Why not take what’s on offer? This is the bare minimum! However, the fact that women will still have to go to England to abort foetuses that inevitably will not survive is a shocking disgrace. Lets face it, our legislators are, in the main,cowards and hypocrites.
“A new referendum removing suicide as a grounds for abortion would also have to include other issues, said Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar.
He said he did not believe it would be possible to vote a third time on the issue without asking questions on allowing terminations on the grounds of rape, alleged rape, incest, the health of the mother or in the case of a foetus incompatible with life.
“People who are pro-life in this House, or outside of this House, who are calling for referendums should be careful about what they wish for because they do not know, for example, how big a Pandora’s Box they may open.’”
I say have a referendum and let the people decide once and for all. But the referendum MUST be worded to suit the people NOT the Catholic church or the extreme right wing politicians!!
I am glad to seeAt last the right minded TDs and senators working together for the common good
Most people know FinnGael and labour are only puppets for Europe
The economy was destroyed and our TD’s didn’t say a word about it. Now they’re all up in arms because women might be given a tiny bit more say in how to run their lives. The country is a farce.
Go back to mass Patrick.
Yes, Rodrigo. And you are one of the reasons our economy is in tatters..
Funny, never once in the reasons given for the recession in our economy did anyone ever tell me that it was Rodrigo Detriano’s fault in any way.
Can everyone agree to stop paying attention to Deputy Keavney, please?
The only thing Colm cares about is Colm. Abortion, the economy, democracy…they’re just a means for Colm to increase his profile. The sooner people stop reacting to him, the sooner we’ll forget him, then he can be turfed out at the next election, and go back to being an ineffective union rep.
They’ll get another ten articles out of this interview yet.
I’m fascinated to know where this fear and mistrust of women stems from. Are the likes of Keaveney so scared that the moment free, safe, abortion becomes legal in Ireland that we’ll all be queueing round the block for one like they’re Michael Buble tickets.
Is it so necessary for religious groups and politicians to actively campaign for the continued control of women’s movements, rights and health in the 21st century?
There will NEVER be a situation where a man will be told he has to wait for treatment until his medical condition threatens his life as opposed to his health. So why is it okay for these men to dictate these restrictions to women?
The 8th amendment hasn’t saved lives. It’s killed women. We need rid of it now.
TDs who vote for this “pro-abortion” legislation are behaving like “turkeys voting for Christmas”"
Kill the Bill not the chid!
Hiding behind the whip won’t help TDs in the next election!
Where is Fine Gael’s pre-election undertaking today.
“Fine Gael in Government will not legislate for abortion”! Or will it break its promise?
Does Fine Gael intend to break its pre-election promise?
How can any voter vote for Fine Gael in the future?
Fine Gael has deceived the Irish People!
Enda please tell the truth:-
How many lives will your Bill save?
How many lives will your Bill kill?
Yawn.
Women have been killed as a result of being denied treatment under the 8th amendment.
Would you stand for being told that your tumour/heart disease/diabetes isn’t going to be treated until it’s life threatening? Why do you insist women do?
A really excellent point.
Colm Keaveney mentioned on one of the papers today, that he is concerned about the lack of time limit, in the proposed legislation.
A lot of people share that concern.
@ Zoe – if you have a time limit and the mother’s life is in danger after the limit do you deny an abortion?
I have no problem with termination, where the mothers life is in danger.
For example in a life saving medical emergency.
No one disputes that.
@ Zoe – some people do dispute it and state abortion should not be allowed even then.
This Bill does not go far enough – no provision for fatal abnormalities, that a doctor can choose not to perform the procedure is appalling (what if a woman’s life is so in danger and a doctor opts out through conscience and another can’t be found quickly enough? Also the legal part – could this mean 14 years for taking the RU486?
More freedom is needed.
Funny Zoe, you say you don’t dispute it – yet that’s all they are legislating for and you are quite vocal in your opposition..
Yes, Zoe. However, it is very, very difficult in clinical scenarios to make the health/life distinction.
The late Mrs. Savitaa Halappanavar would probably be alive now if an abortion on health grounds had been permissible in this State.
It is important to remember this very salient point when discussing abortion.
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