An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar came under fire for his comments after likening Sinn Féin to “slow learners” in a May interview, and parents of those with intellectual disabilities complained to his office over the remarks according to a Freedom of Information request from The Journal.
Varadkar made the comment in a newspaper interview, and remarked at the time that watching Sinn Féin was like “politics for slow learners.”
A spokesperson for Varadkar clarified that he was making a reference to a Seamus Mallon agreement about the Good Friday Agreement being “the Sunningdale Agreement for slow learners,” and that it was a “well-known and oft-quoted remark” but emails to Varadkar’s office showed public displeasure with the comments.
Disability group Access for All Ireland said they were “dismayed” to read the statement, saying “this is a horrible ableist slur to use to denigrate anyone.”
In the weeks after the controversy, the Freedom of Information request showed the level of anger directed at Varadkar by parents of those with intellectual disabilities, with one saying Varadkar had allowed his hatred of Sinn Féin to cloud his judgment.
In an email, they wrote: “my beautiful daughter is a slow learner! Not because she can’t learn, but because the Irish education system can’t provide a suitable place for her.”
“I think you need to choose your words a bit better – I understand you despise Sinn Féin but it shows a total ignorance and lack of compassion towards those in our society who have disabilities.”
One member of the public said they had a pain in the chest with the anger they had felt after hearing the comments.
They wrote “how dare you belittle my children and label them- you have no idea what it’s like to struggle and fight for your children.”
One parent wrote “I fight every single day for any sort of support for my child, both public, but mainly funded by us, his parents, privately – you have shown why our children are not a priority in this country by the language you used! Hang your head in shame!”
Another email wrote that Varadkar’s “arrogance knew no boundaries,” while another noted “we are trying to create an inclusive and multicultural Ireland and all you are doing is alienating the most vulnerable members of our society.”