Occupy Leo 'Leprechaun' Varadkar

Minister for Tourism Leo Varadkar has said it is “regrettable” that the Occupy camp in Dame Street will not consider relocating during the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

What is actually "regrettable" is that Leo Varadkar tellingly failed to make the ODS camp a rightful part of the Festival celebrations.

We should be celebrating how the Irish Occupy movement of citizens against national impoverishment has been so predominantly peaceful and fully in line with constitutional rights of free expression.

We should be celebrating how the Irish Occupy movement of citizens against national impoverishment has been so predominantly peaceful and fully in line with constitutional rights of free expression. So Mr. Varadkar should have made the ODS camp a part of the Festival celebrations - rather than trying airbrush it from view.

The Occupy movement - and the issues we raise - will not, should not - be swept under the carpet to protray a fake "photo-op" version of Ireland.

We'll soon have enough clowns in leprechaun suits parading around Dublin already - without Leo (expensively-suited at taxpayer cost) adding to the mix.

Minister. On St. Patricks's Day - more than any other day in the year, we are ALL Irish.

Wherever we are in the world.

Even those citizens in a tent outside the Central Bank.