SPEECH GAFFE 

Leo Varadkar apologises for any offence caused after ‘ill-judged’ intern remark during his time in Washington

TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar was forced to issue an apology tonight after an embarrassing gaffe he made in a speech that referenced the Clinton Lewinsky sex scandal.

President Bill Clinton was engulfed in a sex scandal that involved his White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Taoiseach Varadkar was giving a speech at an event that celebrated the Washington Intern Programme that sees Irish people work in the White House.

The Taoiseach was reflecting on his own period as an intern in the White House during the last year of Bill Clinton’s Presidency – shortly after the Lewinksy scandal.

In his remarks, the Taoiseach said that this was the time when “some parents would have had cause for concern” about what happened to interns in Washington.

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach issued a statement after the speech which apologised for the remark.

The statement said: “At the Washington Ireland Program event today the Taoiseach was reminiscing about his time in Washington DC as an intern 23 years ago.

“He made an ill-judged off the cuff remark which he regrets. He apologises for any offence caused to anyone concerned.”

Meanwhile, the Fine Gael leader mixed with celebs, business officials and top U.S politicians at Ireland Funds Gala in Washington DC last night where tickets start at $1,000.