A Laois local election candidate has tonight posted a retraction after a Tweet she posted on Monday caused uproar.
Fine Gael’s Vivienne Phelan, who is running in the Portarlington/Graiguecullen area, caused outrage when she said she was “fed up hearing about student nurses and their payment for placement.”
“Vet students complete a lot of placement. Lots of travel costs. Lots of accommodation costs. No pay. Keeping up with the rent in Dublin at the same time. Not possible to get a part-time job, unlike nurses.”
Her tweet prompted a barrage of tweets in response with people completely disagreeing with Ms Phelan’s views.
On Facebook, Support for Nurses, Midwives and Frontline Staff in Ireland issued a statement with an image of her tweet.
They said: “In typically, uncaring and obnoxious Fine Gael style, candidate Vivienne Phelan of the County Laois area finds student nurses and nurses irritating.
“Her tweet is an absolute disgrace especially at a time when understaffing and overcrowding is at an all-time high as a direct result of so many nurses and midwives being forced to emigrate.
“It appears to us that young Ms Phelan has a lot to learn. Firstly, what was the point of that tweet? Why direct it at one sector?
“Don’t anger those who you need to get you elected Vivienne!
Secondly come walk in our shoes for a couple of weeks before spouting rubbish and trying to create a divide!
And thirdly why is it not possible for student vets to get a part time job? You really have a lot to learn Vivienne!
“There is a hospital in Portlaoise with many of the staff living in Laois.
“Thankfully, you’ve just lost their votes Vivienne. But on the bright side, Leo and his colleagues in government would be proud of you! The rest of us aren’t!”
But taking to Twitter tonight, Ms Phelan says she didn’t mean to cause offence.
She said: “I don’t think my earlier tweet struck the right tone.
“I recently qualified as a vet and I’m all too familiar with the challenges vet students face.
“However I shouldn’t have compared two different professions that have different demands. No offence was intended.”
Fed up hearing about student nurses and their payment for placement.
Vet students complete a lot of placement. Lots of travel costs. Lots of accommodation costs. No pay. Keeping up with the rent in Dublin at the same time. Not possible to get a part-time job unlike nurses.
— Vivienne Phelan (@ViviennePhelan) April 8, 2019
I don’t think my earlier tweet struck the right tone. I recently qualified as a vet and I’m all too familiar with the challenges vet students face. However I shouldn’t have compared two different professions that have different demands. No offence was intended.
— Vivienne Phelan (@ViviennePhelan) April 11, 2019
However, Support for Nurses, Midwives and Frontline Staff in Ireland has called Ms Phelan’s apology ‘lame’.
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