TD Maria Bailey has hit out at the criticism she received following her decision to sue over injuries she received from falling off a swing.
In a new interview on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke, Bailey said she was “never looking for compensation” and that the media had acted as “judge, jury and executioner” over the since-dropped personal injury claim.
The Fine Gael politician said that she had fallen off the hotel bar’s swing while holding a bottle of beer and reaching out for a friend, saying, “I was injured, I never claimed for compensation.
“The hotel agreed to pay my hospital expenses. I ended up in A&E the following morning and had intensive physio for three weeks.”
Bailey continued, “Due to the unbelievable abuse, I wasn’t able to go home for three days last week because journalists were sitting at my home. That is an invasion of my privacy and humanity has been crossed.
“As a state we need to decide who our judicial system is here, is it the media or is the courts? The media were judge, jury and executioner in a leaked document.
“I have medical expenses. Nobody questioned that here. And the reason it took such great traction, Sean, is I am the subject of clickbait, so it was trending so well and I have to say well done, I handed them a tremendous headline, I accept that.”
She added, “I am so passionate about my job and I am not going to bow down to keyboard warriors and bullies.”
Bailey also faced controversy when it was discovered that she had taken part in a 10k race three weeks after the fall, though she insisted she “had nothing to hide” and had shared photos from it on her social media accounts.
The TD is due to meet with Leo Varadkar this week, though she said she is “drawing a line in the sand today on this” and instead hopes to raise issues including housing.
You can listen to the full interview here.
Maria Bailey: "I am not doing trial by media over the airwaves here" #todaySOR #rte
— Today with Claire Byrne (@TodaywithClaire) May 27, 2019
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