Clare TD slams Mary Lou McDonald over comments as Simon Harris is elected Taoiseach

Clare TD Cathal Crowe has hit out at Mary Lou McDonald on social media for a perceived lack of "decency" in her comments in the Dáil ahead of Simon Harris' election as Taoiseach.

"Call me old fashioned but I really think it wouldn’t have taken much for Mary Lou McDonald to have the decency to acknowledge Leo Varadkar’s retirement (at least on a personal level), Simon Harris’ two little children, wife and parents," the Fianna Fáil TD said in a Facebook post.

"Where has decency and common respect gone in politics???" he asked.

In her comments in the Dáil ahead of Mr Harris' election as Taoiseach this Tuesday, April 9, the Sinn Fein leader took the government to task, stating they had "comprehensively failed".

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She said that Ireland "is indeed a great country", but that this government has spun "a fairy tale so outrageous that Hans Christian Andersen himself would be proud of it".

"Here we go again as you pass the parcel with the keys to the taoiseach's office one more time."

She criticised Mr Harris' record as Health Minister, stating that "in the world of this Government, it seems you can fail your way right to the very, very top."

Deputy Crowe pointed out that while Labour's leader Ivana Bacik had also been critical of the government and Mr Harris, she had still recognised "the effort, humanity of both" Mr Harris and the outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar,

"If Mary Lou is ever elected to high office and I am still fortunate enough to be still elected to the Dáil chamber, I will wish her well," Deputy Crowe continued.

"Politics can be rough and tumble but there’s always room for decency, honour and respect for others!"