Taoi-shock Leo Varadkar says 'a week wouldn't go by where somebody doesn't hurl abuse’

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that a video of him being circulated online is from an abusive incident last summer.

But he added that a week doesn’t go by when he doesn’t get abuse in the street.

“I don't know where that video came from,” he said.

"That was last summer for a start. I was running home from the office on a nice sunny day. I remember the incident.

“Unfortunately it’s a sad part of politics and public life at the moment. A week wouldn't go by where somebody doesn't hurl abuse in the street.

“The vast majority of people who come up to you in the street or publicly are very kind and very polite, very complimentary.

"They usually wants to thank you for the work you're doing, whether it’s as a local TD or work done during the pandemic or whatever.

“But one in ten would give you abuse and I have kind of accepted it as part of political life -- maybe I shouldn't.”