Peter Casey hits out at ‘out of touch’ Varadkar
Presidential candidate Peter Casey has hit out at Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for being “out of touch” with “ordinary people” and said he has “spent more time in India in the last three years” than the Taoiseach has.
Mr Casey gave two lengthy interviews on local radio in Cork where he again hit out at Mr Varadkar’s remarks on his comments about Travellers. Mr Casey also reiterated his view that Travellers are not a distinct and separate ethnic group.
In Brussels last week, Mr Varadkar said Mr Casey’s comments on Travellers were “very divisive” and “largely designed to get attention for his campaign”.
He said: “And I hope that when the people of Ireland go out to vote next Friday they will give Mr Casey and anyone else who holds these kinds of views a very clear message.”
Mr Casey yesterday told Neil Prendeville on Red FM that, in the “very unlikely event” he is not elected president, ,he may consider starting his own political party.
Speaking to PJ Coogan on Cork’s 96FM, Mr Casey said he is not a racist and defended his decision to cite Mr Varadkar’s Indian heritage in recent days. Mr Varadkar’s father is Indian but the Taoiseach was born and raised in Ireland and has lived here all his life.
He knows I am not a racist,” said Mr Casey. “I pointed out that I have spent more time in India in the last three years than he has. I have had 10 trips to India. I have written a book about the most amazing Indian company and it’s one of the most amazing companies in the world.
Mr Casey described the Taoiseach’s intervention in Brussels as “bizarre” and “against the spirit of the Constitution”.
“And he takes it upon himself to interfere in the presidential electoral process by trying to get other people to vote against me,” he said. “That is so wrong. It definitely against the spirit of the Constitution. Under the Constitution, the President is not allowed to make a statement on Government policy but the corollary of that is that the Government is not supposed to interfere in the presidential election process and that’s what he did. I called him out and I called his deputy Simon Coveney out as well.”
Mr Casey also addressed claims that he is increasing his security in response to death threats and spoke about a video that was posted online targeting him.
He told Neil Prendeville the person in the video said they “were going to come and get me... and the matter has been handed over to the Guards”.
