Lenihan withdraws 'kebabs' remark in Dáil

Fianna Fáil junior minister Conor Lenihan has apologised to the Dáil for telling Socialist TD Joe Higgins to "stick with the kebabs" during an exchange this morning.

Minister of State with reposnsibility for Overseas Aid and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan

Mr Higgins said he assumed the "snide" comment was a reference to his support of Turkish workers embroiled in a row with construction company Gama.

Mr Lenihan, who is Minister for State for Development Co-operation and Human Rights, immediately withdrew the remark after Mr Higgins said it "ill-behove" a man in his position.

The exchange took place during discussions in the Dáil on the future of Aer Lingus and a second terminal at Dublin Airport. Mr Higgins attacked Fianna Fail's backbenchers over their "silence of the lambs" on the issue. Mr Lenihan retorted by telling Mr Higgins to "stick with the kebabs, will you?".

He later returned to the Dáil chamber to apologise and say he regretted the incident. "During the Order of Business this morning I made remarks that I now regret having made. I regret the remarks made and regret sincerely if any offence was caused."

He said he wanted to make his apology as soon as possible, "given the interpretation that may be put on those remarks".

Mr Higgins said this afternoon the comment was "highly insensitive", adding that if Mr Lenihan meant the statement as a term of racial abuse, he should resign.

The Labour Party's Emmet Stagg described the comment as offensive and racist. "Such a remark would have been unworthy of any member of the House but it is particularly unacceptable from a member who has been appointed by the Taoiseach to have responsibility for overseas development aid," Mr Stagg said.

Fine Gael's foreign affairs spokesman said Mr Lenihan's comments were "deeply inappropriate". Bernard Allen said the Gama workers are appear to have been subjected to very bad malpractice. "Minister Lenihan's brief is supposed to be promoting issues for people overseas, not denigrating them," Mr Allen said.

Mr Higgins has been an outspoken supporter of the workers since he first raised the issue in the Dáil in February, accusing Gama of paying workers €2 to €3 an hour and making them work up to 80 hours a week. Some 300 Turkish workers are currently on strike over the issue.

The company has secured nearly €200 million worth of State contracts since its arrival in Ireland in November 2000.

Sinn Féin's international affairs spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh demanded a public apology "to all Turkish people and others of Middle Eastern origin living and working and paying taxes in Ireland", as well as a formal apology to the Turkish Ambassador.

"What else can we expect from a Government whose Minister for Justice and Equality not only doesn't believe in equality, but actually believes that inequality is good," Mr Ó Snodaigh added.