Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am always willing to acknowledge the problems the country faces and the very real problems people have in their lives. I do so pretty much daily, or at least I have for 13 years now. I acknowledge the problems we face when it comes to housing and the deep crisis that exists there for so many people as well as the cost of living and the challenges around migration. I acknowledge all those problems.

I pay a lot of attention to what Deputy Cairns and her party say. They say they stand for three principles. One of these principles is that the Social Democrats stand for honest politics. Why was it necessary to misrepresent and twist my words in the way that was done? Why was that necessary? I referred to a perfect country and perfect world in which there are never any problems. That is the fairy tale. That is what I said.

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