The Justice Minister told the Oireachtas Justice Committee that she stands by the term “scumbags”, she used to describe those involved in the Dublin riots, reports RTE.
“So I’ve said what I said, and I won’t take it back,” Helen McEntee said, stressing that she was describing behaviour that was unusual and not directed at any group, reports RTE.
Independent senator Lynn Ruane said “use” labels people rather than behaviour, adding that the minister’s use of it “causes problems for the police”.
The term was “classist”, said Labor Party spokesman Aodhán Ó Riordáin and called on the minister to apologise, but the minister dismissed the appeal.
Ms McEntee also rejected suggestions that she had accused X, formerly Twitter, of spreading “misleading” information about the response to the riots.
The social media company denied the minister’s claim that it did not cooperate with police officers who responded to the violence, reports RTE.
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