TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has addressed the criticism levelled at him over comments he made in relation to the care referendum during an interview on the Six O’Clock Show, dismissing it as “classic social media”. 

When asked by The Journal what his response was to the negative online comments, the Taoiseach said:

“I think it’s just classic social media. You can say something in 40 seconds and somebody can take 10 seconds of the 40 seconds and totally misrepresent it.”

Varadkar has received significant online criticism after he appeared on the Virgin Media programme last Friday to discuss the referendums. 

A short clip of his comments about his own experience of being raised by his parents and his view on the State’s responsibilities in relation to care has been widely shared on social media. 

In the clip he says: “Very often, the State will step in if somebody doesn’t have a family to look after them or if they need particular, very high-care needs.”

He continued: “My experience of life, and I’m sure it’s most people’s experience of life, my parents brought me up. They cared for me. When they’re old, I’m going to make sure they’re looked after. God forbid if something happened to either of my sisters, I’ll make sure that my nephews and nieces are looked after, that they’ve a home, they’ve an education.

“I don’t actually think that’s the State’s responsibility, to be honest. I do think that is very much a family responsibility, but families deserve the support of the State, and that’s really what this article will say, this new part of the Constitution.”

The Taoiseach told reporters in Bucharest that he has a “very firm view that people have responsibilities and the state has responsibilities too”.

On Tuesday, he defended his comments in the Dáil after Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said they illustrated why “cares have been so badly treated” in Ireland. 

He said: “As always, the Deputy has misrepresented what I said.”

The Taoiseach stressed again that he felt his comments have been misrepresented and said: “The argument that’s being made by some No campaigners that the amendment somehow forces responsibility of care on family solely, that’s been debunked. And that’s just not true.

“That’s the misinformation that I think should be corrected in my view. I have a very firm view that people have responsibilities and the state has responsibilities too. And that’s the case when it comes to care.”

Tomorrow, voters will go to the polls to decide whether to amend the Constitution in relation to the definition of family and on adding a provision on care.

He told reporters that the outcome of the referendums will be dependent on turnout and said “that’s why I’m encouraging people to get out and vote”.

“Unfortunately, I think a No result would be a setback for a country that has made such progress in terms of making our country our constitution more modern, and that’s why I would encourage people to feel the same as I do to make sure to come out and vote,” he said.