A Fine Gael councillor has made the claim that a lot of council house tenants have "never worked and never will."
The comment was passed by Laois-based Cllr Aisling Moran, who said that those who are gainfully employed are footing the bill for those not working in low rent council properties.
Cllr Moran refused to withdraw the comments, which were made during the January meeting of the Laois Couny Council.
"There are a number of people, not all, who aren’t working, never worked, their parents never worked, and their children will never work and they’re sitting at home," she said, according to Laois Live.
There has since been kickback after the article was posted to regional news outlet the Leinster Express' website, with most disgusted with Cllr Moran's comments.
"Disgusting attitudes on here and from that Councillor, I was reared in a council house and I've worked from the age of 15, I used to have a cleaning job before school and then I worked weekends too. And when I was unemployed I volunteered in various places.," one commenter wrote.
Another said that it is a shame that the councillor thinks they have a "divine right" to make such a "sweeping ill advised and ignorant statement."
They added that they know a lot of people living in council estates who work in jobs that aren't the best paid but are "very important in the circle of necessity."
"I would advise this councillor to spend a month living in a county council estate, there is a lot of learning in it," another person said, adding that people living in council estates could "teach her a thing or tow about honesty, compassion and kindness."
Taking a different view, one commenter said: "And she's 100% correct. People who refuse to work should be given the lowest priority"
One final commenter said: "It's not the people living in council houses are to blame for greedy landlords . Try put the blame where it belongs . The landlords and the government she represents."
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