Leo Varadkar was called “gorgeous” on the campaign trail in Galway before being slammed for the government’s poor record on disability services and branded “a waffler.”
The Taoiseach hit the streets this morning and got a truly mixed reception from locals.
He faced angry voters who raised the issues of pensions, property taxes and the poor state of services for the disabled and home carers.
But Mr Varadkar was also being stopped by schoolkids looking for selfies every few metres.
First of all, he was lovebombed by an ardent fan at the start of his canvass in Eyre Square.
The 59-year-old woman had a complaint about local hospital services, but she was clearly won over by Mr Varadkar’s response.
She called him a “nice wee fella” before pulling him down for a hug and a kiss to tell him “you’re gorgeous.”
But as the sleet began to fall again, Mr Varadkar was hit with the cold, harsh realities of life for some people west of the Shannon.
He was challenged strongly on three occasions as he walked down the city’s main thoroughfare, Shop Street.
First there was a pensioner who has not paid the Local Property Tax (LPT) since it was introduced in 2013, and demanded to know where the funds from it go.
They are diverted to local authorities mainly for use by them.
Then there was an angry Bus Eireann union official coming up to retirement age who has serious issues with the proposed pension age hikes up to 66 and 67.
Finally, Mr Varadkar was met with an elderly lady with a 36-year-old severely disabled son to mind at home, who has had her home care funding and his disability payments cut.
The woman’s name is Carol Coneelly, from Annaghdown in Co Galway and her son’s name is Shane.
She said: “The outlook for my son going forward will be an institution.
“Now, my son has the right to live in his own home with proper care and services provided for him to live in an equal society, but that’s not provided for going forward with your plan.
“The Sláintecare plan (a cross-party health programme) is a good plan, but we listened to the debate last night and not one single politician raised disability services or carers.
“There are 355,000 carers in this country who save the Government €10billion a year.
“If all of us people were to say, right, we’re going to put our loved ones into care, into nursing homes, where would you get the funding to provide for that?
“So I’m asking you as Taoiseach who’s been in power for the guts of four years to look after the disabled and the carers in this country.
“We’re the forgotten sector, we really are.
“My son votes and he’s voted in every election, he’s on the register to vote, and I think politicians have this notion that people with a disability are the invisible people, that they don’t have a vote, but they do and their votes count.”
Mr Varadkar replied: “I do know that and did you know what the disability budget is this year, it’s actually the highest ever, €2billion, for the first time ever the budget for disabilities is €2billion.
“And if we keep the economy strong we can keep building on that.”
After Mr Varadkar moved on, Ms Conneely said: “What a load of waffle.”
