Simon Harris apologises for ‘harsh’ exchange with disability worker

Simon Harris has issued a groveling apology over an incident in Kanturk in Cork where he admits he didn’t give a disability worker enough time to express her views.

In a clip that has since gone viral, Charlotte Fallon approached the Taoiseach and confronted him over the government’s failure to meet the needs of those with disabilities in Ireland and their carers.

Charlotte who works in a Section 39 disability organisation challenged him saying that Fine Gael had done ‘nothing’ for careers and that they were ‘ignored’ in the budget.

In response, the Taoiseach appeared to get defensive and repeatedly argued that carers were not ignored in the Budget. As she became more emotional saying ‘I’m very passionate about my job’ he fired back ‘I’m very passionate about disability too’ before cutting the conversation short and walking away.

The abrupt exchange has reverberated around the country and on Saturday morning Simon jumped online to express the matter.

In a video message, he spoke of how growing up with a brother who has autism gave him first-hand experience of the hardships faced by people with disabilities and their families and how that has spurred him on to enter politics in the hopes of making a change.

Fine Gael candidate for Dublin-Rathdown Neale Richmond has said Simon Harris has spoken to the disability worker he had an exchange with while canvassing in Co Corkhttps://t.co/IqXOnnkDmP

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 23, 2024

He said: ‘One of the reasons I got involved in politics is disability, I wouldn’t be a politician or a politician at such a young age was my brother not born with autism, did I not see the struggle my parents went through, particularly my mother in trying to fight for services, fight for answers and the loneliness my family felt as well.

‘That’s why I’m determined to prioritise disability and the needs of carers in our country as well and I’ve had those conversations with so many people across Ireland. ‘

He went on to address his exchange with Charlotte saying: ‘I was in Kanturk last night at the end of a very long day and I was talking to a woman who works in a Section 39 disability organisation and she was raising issues with me and I want to say I didn’t give her the time I should have given her and I feel really bad about it because it’s not who I am, it’s not what makes me tick.’

Simon added: ‘I really, really, really passionately believe in disability services so I do hope to have a longer conversation with her because I want you to know and I want her to know that I’m absolutely in the business of listening and learning and acting.

‘When it comes to disability services I always will be and what I specifically want to say to people with a disability [and] to people who have a person with a disability in their family, particularly people who have a child with a disability, is that if I am Taoiseach after the next election I will continue to chair a cabinet on disability I will have zero tolerance for buck-passing and the silos that have existed for so long in terms of disability services.’

Simon went on to lay out his plans to improve disability services in Ireland which included more therapists in schools and abolishing the means test for carers.

He also responded to one social media user who queried why he hasn’t enacted change so far saying he has only been in office for seven months but has made this his ‘personal mission.’

He signed off reiterating that there was ‘no excuse’ for his abrupt handling of the situation in Kanturk and that he should have taken the time to hear Charlotte out but urged people to understand that ‘this is what makes me tick and I’m going to make sure .. that we make this an absolute priority issue.’

The Taoiseach had previously spoken to Charlotte on the phone and in an interview with The Irish Times about how ‘he was horrible last night.’

She said that it wasn’t very nice to go home crying and hoped that no one else had to go through anything similar. She added: ‘He said he didn’t sleep much last night. He’s a politician.’

Delving into the phone call further she conceded that the Taoiseach ‘took full responsibility.’

‘… He said he was very sorry and that he had a long day. He said it was a subject he was passionate on, and I said so am I. He said there was no need for that, you were only doing your shopping, I was harsh. He said I deserved to have my say. I’m glad I got the apology,’ Charlotte told the publication.