Leo Varadkar Faces Backlash From the Irish Media

The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has walked into a storm of controversy, following remarks made at a dinner in New York. The Taoiseach was in the Big Apple to lead Ireland's bid for a place on the UN Security Council.

During a dinner attended by young professionals from across a range of different activities and disciplines, he was reported to have offered the opinion that Irish journalists very often do not write news based on facts – instead that they write stories based on rumours and mere speculation. He also seemed to be critical of political correspondents, accusing them of ignoring the real issues in society and in engaging in political gossip.

The Taoiseach today said that his comments had been taken out of context. However, he apologised if the impression had been given that he did not value the role of the media in a free society.

Inevitably, however, since the comments were made public, many Irish journalists have taken to social media to voice their outrage at the remarks.

Mary Regan, political columnist at the Sunday Business Post, took to Twitter, to take a potshot at the Taoiseach’s own conduct on social media during the campaign to elect a Fine Gael leader.

Varadkar - who brought cupcakes saying “Leo” to his campaign launch and tweets about his socks - accuses media of trivialising politics

— Mary Regan (@MaryERegan) July 4, 2018

In a longer tweet, Gavan Reilly, political correspondent from TV3, called out the Taoiseach for his poor choice of words, saying how most media outlets invest heavily in covering the very issues Leo Varadkar claimed they were ignoring.

Every major Irish media outlet spent a four-figure sum following the Taoiseach to New York this week to cover exactly the sort of topics he’s complaining we ignore.

To say this sort of thing behind our backs, at an event closed off to us, is really poor form. https://t.co/pKhwmswm2n

— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) July 3, 2018

Meanwhile, Tom Lyons, of the Sunday Post, also chimed in, saying how the comments did nothing but further the attacks on journalism which are part and parcel of the world being created by Donald Trump.

This is pathetic stuff by @campaignforleo. Tone deaf at a time when journalism is under attack in America. And incredible in the week former FG minister Michael Lowry was convicted - exposed by the journalism he sneers at behind closed doors: https://t.co/8IJU1K3lZy

— Tom Lyons (@TomLyonsBiz) July 4, 2018

In a political climate where one rarely wakes up without seeing a new attempt at lashing the media by Donald Trump, via Twitter, the mountain which journalists are being asked to climb is growing higher and higher. Distrust of modern media is a major issue, but the real issue for quality journalism is that it is becoming harder and harder to fund – which is something the Taoiseach would do well to understand. Certainly, his comments have to be seen as a spectacular own goal at a moment when he was leading an important Irish mission.

Irish journalists have seen the comments as an attack on their work, and have responded by highlighting the benefits that their reporting can bring. PR guru, Karl Brophy, pointed out how investigative journalism led to the conviction of criminal activity by a TD.

Leo Varadkar is an intelligent man and a good Taoiseach.

But for him to attack Irish journalism and Irish investigative journalism in the week that same journalism led to the criminal conviction of a TD his government relies on is really tone deaf and bad judgement. https://t.co/69MX4LkS8K

— Karl Brophy (@KarlBrophy) July 3, 2018

In addition to apologising, the Taoiseach has also reassured people that he fully supports a free press.