‘Leo Varadkar has washed his hands of the diaspora’

Angry, tolerant, upset, insecure, confused, and in conflict.

These are just some of the reactions of Irish living abroad to Leo Varadkar’s advice not to book flights home for Christmas.

Dubliner Audrey Eager lives in London and booked her flights to return home for Christmas in March.

He had been looking for ways to minimize the risk of returning to stay with his mother by avoiding public transport and finding a place to isolate himself upon arrival in Ireland.

She described Mr. Varadkar’s comments as “careless” and said they left her “absolutely livid”.

He accused the Tánaiste of “washing the hands” of the diaspora and said that Varadkar “had not thought about how this would make people feel, not only people abroad but also people at home.”

“Where is the direction, where is the planning, where is the common sense in this?” Audrey said.

“This is my country that rejects me, and if I think about it too much I will get angry.”

Her flights are booked and Audrey said she will be traveling home after Christmas because she cannot afford to spend the holiday period alone in the UK.

Darren Ennis in Brussels said he is “angry, disappointed and confused” by Varadkar’s comments and frustrated by what he said were “mixed messages” from the government.

She wants to go home to her daughter, who is anxious to see her grandmother, who has been ill for the year and was also ill last Christmas.

Darren has contacted private clinics in Brussels to organize the Covid test at a cost of less than € 50.

“There is a clear difference between a tourist and a member of the diaspora who wants to go back and see their family and friends at Christmas,” he told RTÉ.

“We want a clear government roadmap and rules that we can follow to allow us to see our family at Christmas.”

Aisling Henrard from Tipperary has lived in Brussels for ten years and has two young children aged three and five.

Aer Lingus recently canceled its flights home for Christmas, but is still looking for ways to get back here.

“If Leo Varadkar is concerned about me bringing the virus home and spreading it across the country, he has nothing to worry about,” Aisling said.

“The only people I will see are my family. I am not going out to the city or hanging around the malls. I literally want to take my children home to see their grandparents.”

Holding back tears, she said: “It’s been a really difficult year, not coming home. I miss my mother and statements like this are just another kick in the teeth for us.”

James Daly is an Offaly software developer living in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He said he was “frustrated and a little upset” by Varadkar’s comments.

He had planned to return to Ireland for three weeks, allowing two weeks for quarantine and another week to catch up with friends.

“I want to give my mom a hug. I want to shake my dad’s hand. I just miss them … what’s the use of being alive if it’s not for friends and family?”

Sean Carroll from Celbridge in Co Kildare and his wife who is from Bundoran in Co Donegal live in London with their 17 month old baby.

They plan to travel home by ferry and were hopeful that the new testing regimen that began on November 29 would make their journey a little easier.

“It is very disappointing and confusing. It is a very contradictory message from the government to tell him one thing one Wednesday and then the next day to tell him that he has changed,” Sean said.

“We really want our parents to be able to see our daughter.”

He felt that today’s comments were “making the Irish abroad a scapegoat for a spike in cases in January.”

Others accepted the situation more.

Eva Murphy Ryan is from Glasnevin in North Dublin and now works in New York

She and other Irish in America had come to accept that this year it would not be possible to go home for Christmas.

“It’s not a massive surprise. Still, a part of us had been hopeful, but even if we got home, it would be a very different Christmas than we had previously.”

This Christmas may be the last time I see some of my relatives.

Eva added: “We would go against the Covid travel ban in the US, so if we fly home there is a chance that we will not be able to re-enter the US. I think it is a huge risk. for the people”.

Hugh O’Neill recently immigrated to Eindhoven in the Netherlands with his wife and children.

He welcomed Mr. Varadkar’s comments. “In some respects, it clears things up a bit more in terms of Christmas. We would definitely be looking at this point and saying ‘no, we won’t be traveling.’

However, Athlone’s John McNamara, an engineer working in Saudi Arabia, said he was outraged and extremely angry about the situation.

“The government has failed miserably to implement a testing regime at the airport.

“I don’t recall any politician ever trying to stop anyone from going to Cheltenham in March, so I find this quite irritating.

“I want to see my children face to face and my parents are 70 years old. This Christmas may be the last time I see some of my relatives.”