Limerick TD ‘received support from nationals and non-nationals’ after call to protect Ireland's culture

LIMERICK County TD Richard O’Donoghue says he’s received support from both Irish nationals and non-nationals following his call to protect Ireland's culture.
Outside Dail Eireann, the Independent Ireland deputy warned as things stand, Irish people could become a minority in this country in years to come.
His comments were seized upon by Dublin People Before Profit's Paul Murphy, who accused Mr O’Donoghue of “dog whistling”.
A raft of Social Democrats TDs also condemned the Limerick man’s words.
Gary Gannon said the remarks are “pathetic”, Jennifer Whitmore said he is “fuelling racism and misinformation while Rory Hearne dubbed the comments “dangerous”.

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But speaking to the Limerick Leader this Monday, Mr O’Donoghue said he had received support for his comments.
“Not only from people who are of Irish nationality, but people from different countries, who have moved here to work. They say, 100%, the Irish culture should be protected. I’ve asked for nothing more than what would be expected of the Irish people if they went to another country,” he said.
Mr O’Donoghue admitted some people have called him “racist” for the widely-publicised comments, which he made while taking questions on October’s Presidential Election.
“It’s actually the opposite. Irish people are not racist. Irish people want their culture protected, the same way as every other country we go to, we respect their cultures. We keep our own cultures, but we also enhance other people’s cultures in our daily lives,” said the TD, who is also general secretary of Independent Ireland.
Mr O’Donoghue made the comments before national reporters, based at Leinster House.
He said: “When the media hit me on this in Dublin, you could see within the reporters up there, they thought, ‘oh great, we have Richard in hot water’. But three or four hours afterwards, they weren’t like this because they saw the public reaction which went out.”
He said many people who contacted him said they are “100% with him” on what he said.
“There is nothing wrong with protecting a country you are from, and there is nothing wrong with people from other cultures enhancing your community,” he added.
He went on to give the example of a recent visit his son, and his son’s girlfriend had made to Dubai.
In order to be granted a tour of a mosque, both were asked to cover parts of their face and dress modestly, out of respect for Muslim culture.
“What is wrong with Irish people asking for the same thing to respect us?” he asked.
In his original commentary, the second-term TD pointed to Government population targets of 10 million people by 2040.
“We’re not going to produce seven million people in this country ourselves are we? Then we become a minority in our own country. Protect all cultures, protect our own and we can all live together happily and gracefully,” he argued.