“I unreservedly withdraw my initial remarks”
The Mayor of Limerick made a move Thursday evening to clarify controversial comments which he made to the Limerick Leader newspaper earlier this week regarding EU nationals and deportation.
The following is the statement released by Mayor Kevin Kiely in full.
“I fully accept that comments attributed to me by Limerick Leader reporter David Hurley were accurately recorded and I regret having made them in a way that did not accurately reflect my views. It was not my intention to cause any offence to EU nationals who are legally entitled to live in Ireland and who have contributed much to this country. I apologise if I have done so and I unreservedly withdraw my initial remarks.
In my comments on foreign nationals receiving social welfare payments, I was specifically referring to those individuals who travel to Ireland with one the aim of taking advantage of our social welfare system.
I am conscious of the thousands of foreign nationals who are living and working in Limerick who have made our city their home. I wish to acknowledge, as Mayor of Limerick, the huge contribution in an economic cultural and social sense and that these people have made to the city and my comments were in no way attributed to them.
My comments were also not in reference to foreign nationals who have become unemployed and are actively seeking work in Ireland. I still am of the opinion and, so are others that have approached me in recent days, that there is abuse of the Irish social welfare system. But in seeking to highlight this I inadvertently caused offence to others, which I very much regret.
I hope this clarifies my statement and I will be making no further comment on the matter.”
This in no way clarifies things except to indicate how misinformed the Mayor was and is on matters concerning migration, human rights and Irish social welfare law.
Not half good enough. Resign now.
Jim Long is in the Leader agreeing and backing Kiely despite Kiely withdrawing the remarks. I believed that fine Gael promised him mayoral chains in 2011 so are we going to have this argument all over again then.
His comments were disgraceful, and have damaged Limerick City’s reputation at home and abroad, and brought shame on the office of the mayor. If he has a shred of decency and civic pride he would resign.