Minister defends Simon Harris from accusation of ‘worst kind of dog-whistling’

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Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has defended Tánaiste Simon Harris’s comments about the dole “not being a way of life” as the Social Democrats and Labour accused him of…

Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has defended Tánaiste Simon Harris’s comments about the dole “not being a way of life” as the Social Democrats and Labour accused him of demonising the vulnerable and the “worst kind of divisive dog-whistling”.

During heated and personalised exchanges, Social Democrats social protection spokesman Eoin Hayes said the Tánaiste’s remarks at Fine Gael’s ardfheis were “utterly deplorable”, demonising the most vulnerable in society, and were “a lazy attack from a political leader who is out of ideas”.

But Burke, who was taking Dáil Leaders’ Questions, said Harris was very clear that social welfare must always be there for people who need support, but it should be a safety net and “not an employment policy”.

He in turn criticised Hayes, who claimed the Tánaiste was “failing upwards again”. The Minister said the Dublin Bay South TD was a “democratically elected politician in this House and you won’t even stand in the plinth to be held accountable by the media in this country”.

The Social Democrats TD has previously rejected claims he is in hiding from the media as he has not participated in the party’s weekly press conferences at Leinster House or at its think-in. It follows controversy over incorrect details he gave about when he sold shares in software firm Palantir which supplies technology to the Israel Defense Forces, resulting in his suspension for a time from the parliamentary party.

[ Harris’s comments on welfare dependency might hold more weight had dole not just been increasedOpens in new window ]

At one point Leas-Cheann Comhairle John McGuinness remonstrated with Minister of State Colm Brophy and told him “don’t make it personal” after Brophy accused Hayes of being hypocritical when he “boasted about making people redundant”.

This followed reports Hayes had boasted online about being part of a leadership team that cut 200 jobs at a tech firm.

Hayes said in the Dáil there were now 260,000 children living in poverty and a record number…

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