{"id":11076,"date":"2019-11-25T08:40:13","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T12:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=11076"},"modified":"2019-11-25T10:42:12","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T14:42:12","slug":"varadkar-visits-wexford-to-support-under-fire-verona-murphy-in-by-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=11076","title":{"rendered":"Varadkar Visits Wexford to Support Under-Fire Verona Murphy in By-Election"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is steadfastly backing his party\u2019s by-election candidate Verona Murphy as he plans to head to Wexford to drum up support.<\/p>\n

Controversial Fine Gael candidate Ms Murphy made comments to the Irish Times that so-called Islamic State is \u201ca big part of the migrant population\u201d in Ireland and services are needed to \u201calleviate that type of indoctrination\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ms Murphy also told RTE\u2019s This Week program that some asylum seekers coming to Ireland have to be \u201cdeprogrammed\u201d as they \u201ccarry angst\u201d and may have been \u201cinfiltrated by Isis\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ms Murphy has since apologized for her remarks and said she visited a reception center for asylum seekers in Waterford \u201cto gain a better understanding of asylum and refugee issues\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr Varadkar has since expressed full confidence in Ms Murphy as Fine Gael\u2019s by-election candidate.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer comments were wrong, ill-advised and misinformed,\u201d he said last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is our candidate and I will be canvassing with her ahead of the by-election next Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Varadkar said Ms Murphy has \u201cstrong views\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mr Varadkar, speaking on Monday while opening the new Mountview Shopping Center in his constituency, said that he had \u201calready had the conversation with\u201d Ms Murphy and hoped to speak to her later in the day in Wexford.<\/p>\n

Mr Varadkar would not take any more questions and media were prevented to ask anything further.<\/p>\n

A number of Fine Gael ministers have been out on the by-election campaign trail with Ms Murphy, in a show of support despite the controversy over her comments on immigration and allegations of bullying while in her role as president of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), which she has stepped aside from for the duration of the campaign.<\/p>\n

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and junior finance minister Michael D\u2019Arcy have previously joined her for a canvass in Wexford Town.<\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>