Ivana Bacik describes Leo Varadkar's comments on immigration as a 'new low'
The Fine Gael TD, who stood down as party leader and Taoiseach in March, made the comments in an interview with the University of Notre Dame’s college newspaper during a recent trip to the American college
![Ivana Bacik describes Leo Varadkar's comments on immigration as a 'new low'](https://europe.easybranches.com/uploads/news/2024/09/6845496.jpg)
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has described former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's comments that immigration numbers have "been too big" as a "new low."
The Fine Gael TD, who stood down as party leader and Taoiseach in March, made the comments in an interview with the University of Notre Dame’s college newspaper during a recent trip to the American college.
"The majority of people think that the numbers have been too big in recent years, and they’re right," he said.
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"A country of five million people seeing its population rise by 2 per cent a year, which is what’s happening at the moment, is too fast."
Asked about the comments at the Labour Party’s alternative budget launch, Ms Bacik described them as a "new low".
"Clearly, Leo Varadkar is enjoying life after politics. I'm sure Taoiseach Simon Harris is delighted to get all the free advice he's been given by the former Taoiseach," she told the Irish Mirror.
"On a serious note, I think it's deeply inappropriate and unhelpful, indeed a really new low in political narrative to see Leo Varadkar making such a statement that suggests that there has been too much immigration.
"That doesn't take into account the horrific war in Ukraine. That doesn't take into account the need to provide shelter for so many fleeing war. That doesn't take into account the fact that around the country, employers, communities are crying out for labour.
![Labour Party Think In . Photo Shows : Leader of the Labour Party Ivana Bacik joins Labour Party members in the Malahide Grand Hotel, this afternoon for their Think In](https://i2-prod.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article33608744.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Labour-Think-In-68.jpg)
"Every hospital, every healthcare facility, every school, every childcare facility is looking for staff.
"I think these comments were deeply unhelpful. It is a new low.
"We saw the Taoiseach’s comments last week appearing to conflate homelessness and migration. Really unhelpful. I criticised those."
Ms Bacik also criticised Sinn Féin, who used their Leaders’ Question slot on Tuesday to quiz Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman on whether or not the €800 payment to those offering accommodation to Ukrainian refugees was negatively impacting the rental market in Ireland.
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