Footage has emerged of Independent TD Noel Grealish calling African asylum seekers "economic migrants" who come to Ireland to "sponge off the system".
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has since called on Deputy Grealish to clarify the comments.
The Independent TD made the comments at a public meeting in Oughterard, Galway on Tuesday, in relation to a proposed direct provision centre being set up in the area.
Deputy Noel Grealish urged those at the meeting to work together to make sure the African migrants are not brought to Oughterard:
Video of Noel Grealish asserting that Christians fleeing Syria are legitimate asylum seekers but all Africans are "sponging off the system". The dangerous bigot pic.twitter.com/gnezA3V5nK
— Dean Van Nguyen (@deanvannguyen) September 13, 2019
