Mary O'Rourke has said she meant no offence when she used the phrase "worked like blacks" during a speech on Sunday, after she secured a nomination to stand for Fianna Fáil in next year's general election.
The comment, which she used to describe the work carried out by her supporters was criticised by a number of anti-racism groups as inappropriate.
Speaking on RTÉ radio yesterday morning, however, Mrs O'Rourke defended her use of the phrase. "It was meant in a complimentary fashion, praising the hard work of my team and indirectly myself," she said during an interview on Today with Pat Kenny.
"There was absolutely no offence meant. It is a well known phrase in Ireland, but perhaps in a different Ireland it's no longer relevant. Perhaps I should say 'like Trojans' but then would you be upsetting the Greeks or something, I don't know."
She also referred to her work with non-nationals in her home town of Athlone. Mrs O'Rourke has lobbied the Government on behalf of a number of families facing deportation orders, and took part in a march in the town in their support last August. "I think they are very hard-working and I think they want to make their stake in the country and I do represent them a lot," she said.
Mrs O'Rourke, the leader of the Seanad, made the comments on Sunday night after she beat Athlone councillor Kevin "Boxer" Moran by nine votes to secure the nomination to stand in the Longford Westmeath constituency. She will join sitting TDs Peter Kelly and Donie Cassidy on the ticket.
Mrs O'Rourke also referred to the rivalry between herself and Mr Cassidy, who gained a seat at her expense in 2002, and who paid tribute to her on Sunday night. "He was using nice words like 'harmonious' and 'tranquillising'. . . what we should be doing is going all out to get our votes, and that's what I intend to do, and I'm quite sure that's what he intends to do," she said.
Fine Gael Senator Paul Coghlan came to Mrs O'Rourke's defence last night. He said criticism of her was political correctness gone overboard. "It was a saying in our youth. It was meant in a non-harmful way."