In a heated exchange in the Dáil, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy labelled Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae an "asshole" after Healy-Rae questioned the gender of Murphy's toddler. Murphy and his wife welcomed their first child, Juniper, in February 2023 and have chosen not to assign a gender to their child.
During a debate on the Finance Bill, Murphy interrupted Healy-Rae as he spoke about the Carbon Tax. Healy-Rae retorted: "What do you know? Sure, you do not know whether your own baby is a boy or a girl."
Murphy responded with a sharp "f*ck off", adding: "Asshole. You are a f*cking asshole." Healy-Rae defended his comments saying, "Well, it is the truth," and "He told it loud. I did not make it up; he told us himself".
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Several TDs from both Government and opposition criticised Healy-Rae's comments, with Fianna Fáil's Paul McAuliffe calling for him to "withdraw it". Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall branded Healy-Rae a "disgrace", while Labour Ged Nash called for an apology to Murphy and his family, saying, "This nonsense is tolerated far too much. It is personalised and it is insulting," Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl deemed the comments "personal and inappropriate" and instructed Healy Rae to withdraw them, reports the Irish Mirror.
The Kerry TD responded: "It is the truth but if it will please you, I will withdraw it. It is for the individual itself that I am concerned."
Nash labelled the comments a "qualified withdrawal", adding: 'You are an asshole." When Deputy Murphy stood up to have his say, rather than directly addressing Deputy Healy Rae's comments, but called him a "millionaire".
On Wednesday, Mr Murphy declined to comment further on the exchange with Mr Healy-Rae.
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