SINN Féin councillor Paddy Holohan has apologised for remarks he made about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The former MMA fighter was strongly criticised after he said he wanted a "family man running the country".
Speaking on an episode of his No Shame podcast, Mr Holohan said he wanted a taoiseach "that knows what it’s like to have kids, maybe hopefully boys and girls, so when you’re creating the policies and stuff that’s going to go on, that you’re like right, it makes sense.
"I know what it’s like to collect my young fella from school so I know what school time traffic is like, so when I’m making a decision I have experience and bring it to the equation."
In an earlier episode, he said Mr Varadkar, whose father was born in India, was "separated from the history of this country".
"He’s an Irish citizen but his passion doesn’t go back to the times when our passion goes back to," he said.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Holohan apologised but said his comments had been misinterpreted.
"Firstly, I would like to apologise as my comments may have offended people as I of course did not intend to do so," he said.
"My comments have been misinterpreted and not in any way meant the way they have been portrayed.
"Thank you to the people that know me and have supported me. And understand that I would never make such remarks."
Earlier yesterday, a spokesman for Sinn Féin had called on Mr Holohan to apologise and withdraw his comments.
Fine Gael TD Noel Rock criticised Mr Holohan's "bizarre" remarks and questioned if he was suggesting that "straight people need only apply to be Taoiseach".
"I don’t have kids either, but I know what traffic is like," he said.
"Does he think people without kids don’t drive? Or that they’re not fit to lead the country too?
"These are bizarre, embarrassing, insulting comments."
