Disability worker 'shaken and upset' after exchange with Simon Harris in Cork
The Taoiseach has said there was 'no excuse' for not 'giving the time he should have' to the carer who questioned him in a Cork supermarket yesterday
The disability worker who was filmed having a tense exchange with Taoiseach Simon Harris while the Fine Gael leader was out canvassing in Cork on Friday has said she was left “shaken” following the interaction.
Footage captured by RTE News, which has been widely shared on social media, shows Mr Harris walking away from the carer after she told the Taoiseach “we were ignored" and "the disability sector is a joke".
The Section 39 disability worker, Charlotte Fallon, approached Mr Harris while he was visiting a supermarket in Kanturk in north west Cork yesterday and told him the government 'had done nothing' for carers and that people 'were suffering'.
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Ms Fallon, who was visibly upset during the exchange, said she was very passionate about her job but expressed concerns that there was 'no mention whatsoever' of people in her line of work in the latest budget.
She said: "We’ve fought for our money … but we are ignored". When Mr Harris said, "no you weren't", the woman responded by saying "yes we were, the disability sector is a joke, you've done nothing for us, our people are suffering".
After a brief exchange, Mr Harris eventually shakes Ms Fallon's hand and walks away after she said: "Keep shaking people's hands and walk away. You're not a good man". You can watch a full video of the encounter below:
Speaking to The Irish Times today, Ms Fallon said the exchange with Mr Harris left her in tears, as she described the actions of the Taoiseach as 'horrible'.
“I was shaken, I was upset. I exited through the back door because I just didn’t want to go back into that crowd. I came down the laneway and the campaign was passing by. I wish I had said more," Ms Fallon, who works with St Joseph’s Foundation, told the outlet.
The carer revealed that Mr Harris contacted her on Saturday morning to apologise, with the Irish Times reporting that the Fine Gael leader intends to meet with Ms Fallon.
“I’ve just come off the phone with Simon Harris," she said. "I’m still a bit shook. He rang me and apologised and took full responsibility.
"He said that is not the way he works. He said he was very sorry and that he had a long day. He said it was subject he was passionate on, and I said so am I. He said there was no need for that, you were only doing your shopping, I was harsh. He said I deserved to have my say. I’m glad I got the apology.”
Mr Harris appeared in a video shared on his social media account on Saturday morning in which he said he had 'no excuse' for not properly engaging with Ms Fallon that he wishes to have a 'longer conversation with her in future.'
The Fine Gael leader also stressed he is very passionate about supporting disability services, having grown up seeing the struggles his parents faced trying to find supports for his brother, who has autism.
He said: "I was in Kanturk last night at the end of a very long day and was talking to a woman who works in a Section 39 disability organisation and she was raising issues with me. And, I want to say I didn't give her the time that I should have given her and I feel really bad about that because it's not who I am, it's not what makes me tick. I really, really, really passionately believe in disability services.
"I do hope to be able to have a longer conversation with her. I want you to know and I want her to know I'm absolutely in the business of listening, learning and of acting when it comes to disability services. I always always will be."
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