A Wexford TD has come under fire on social media for a comment he made about "druggies" on Dublin's O'Connell Street.
The use of the word, which has been slammed as "derogatory", "highly judgmental" and "appalling language about addiction", came as RTE prepared to air its Primetime show about the ongoing issues on the street and Dublin city centre. Many also said that the issues were a result of the current Government's policies, of which Deputy Kehoe is a member.
Speaking in the Dail yesterday, he said: "It's a street I'm absolutely ashamed of as an Irish person. It is full of druggies, crime, anti-social behaviour, robberies, take-aways, alcohol, drug abuse. This is our main national street in our capital city. I wouldn't send a tourist to O'Connell Street cause I would be ashamed to send them to see what is down there."
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People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said: "A horrendous way to talk about people suffering from drug addiction" in response, while Labour councillor Peter O'Brien added: "I’m ashamed that we don’t fund Drug and Alcohol Task Forces better. I’m ashamed of his governments failure to deliver injection centres. They safe lives and protect health workers. I’m ashamed a TD thinks it’s acceptable to use the term ‘druggies’."
Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould called on Mr Kehoe to withdraw his remarks, saying: "Outdated, derogatory and dehumanising labels have no place in the Dáil chamber or society as a whole". Green Party councillor Oision O'Connor called out Fine Gael's policy on treatment centres, saying: "Maybe if Fine Gael TDs didn't want a concentration of these issues in the north inner city, they could ask other Fine Gael TDs to stop lobbying against treatment facilities in other places. And yes, one of those other places is Ballinteer, where I live."
The lack of redevelopment on O'Connell Street was also slammed by opposition parties as the RTE Investigates aired Tuesday night. Labour Senator Marie Sherlock said the Clearys developers are yet to regenerate the area as promised and called for the Government to take action.
She said: "What other capital city would let such an historic area, an area of great importance to the city community and of great interest to tourists, in the very heart of the city, be exploited by antisocial behaviour? O’Connell Street must be revitalised in a manner which respects its position as the premier street of the capital. That means that it must be redeveloped with respect shown to its historical and cultural importance, not just commercial.
“It must also remain interwoven with its surrounding communities and ensure that it is not only a source of employment but good jobs. To this end, I will be seeking in the coming weeks ,to reinvigorate the concept of development in the area which places these values at its centre. This will include seeking to engage with the developers of the Clerys Quarter to ensure the deal which was done between the previous owner of the site, trade unions, local elected representatives and community groups, to ensure the development would maximise its benefit to the O’Connell Street area and local communities is implemented in full.”
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