and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he decided to deselect Verona Murphy as a Fine Gael election candidate because her apology for her controversial comments about migrants «wasn’t sincere». In her unsuccessful by-election campaign, Ms Murphy said asylum seekers coming to Ireland have to be «deprogrammed» as they «carry angst» and may have been «infiltrated» by Isil.
She also claimed that children as young as three were being «manipulated» by Isil.
Mr Varadkar admitted last night that he was concerned if Ms Murphy was to run again for Fine Gael «we would probably have more of this again».
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Speaking on Virgin Media One’s ‘Pat Kenny’s Big Interview’, the Taoiseach said Ms Murphy’s remarks were «very wrong and hurtful to some of our migrant communities».
While he initially stood by his candidate, he said he changed his mind after viewing a campaign video on behalf of Ms Murphy, issued on the eve of polling, in which it was claimed she was the victim of a character assassination by the media.
He said she made a «full apology and full retraction» after first making the remarks and «for me that was enough».
«She was also a first-time candidate so it was an experience and we gave her more leeway than we would have others.
«What changed is towards the end of the campaign she released this video which indicated that the apology wasn’t sincere, and she tried to say there was a media or Dublin elite conspiracy against her.
«For me, that indicated that she wasn’t sincere in her apology and retraction and secondly that we would probably have more of this again.
«And that’s why I recommended she be removed from the ticket and she has been.»When contacted for comment last night, Ms Murphy replied that she will be speaking to local radio in Wexford this morning.
However, speaking to the Irish Independent earlier yesterday, she confirmed she had been deselected as a Fine Gael candidate for the general election in Wexford — hours before the Fine Gael national executive met to formally ratify her deletion from the ticket.
Ms Murphy, who finished third in last month’s by-election, declined to comment further on her next moves amid speculation that she will run for the Dáil next year as an Independent candidate.
She is due to speak to local radio today and will then take a break until mid-January.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe travelled to Wexford after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting to inform Ms Murphy she was being deselected. A senior Fine Gael source described it as a «respectful and clear» meeting despite the difficult nature of the decision.
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