TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has responded to a headline in Friday's The Sun branding him an "airhead" over Brexit.
The newspaper also described the Irish PM as an "EU toady" over his comments about the impact of Britain leaving the EU on air travel.
On Wednesday, the Taoiseach warned of a potential "doomsday" scenario in the event of a hard Brexit spelling "huge problems" which could stop UK planes flying in EU airspace.
"You cannot have your cake and eat it," he added. "You can't take back your waters and then expect to use other people's sky."
Many on social media have accused The Sun of "xenophobia" and "anti-Irish" sentiment after they responded with the headline below:
Spot the cynicism! Today's @TheSun in England: Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar is a bigmouth and a fool. His outburst exposes his crass naivety and the cynical deceit of his EU masters. Yesterday's Sun in Ireland: Leo talks tough. He made "it clear we aren't going to roll over" pic.twitter.com/XTfDpl3y2I
— Roy Greenslade (@GreensladeR) July 20, 2018
But one person who doesn't seem particularly bothered is the Taoiseach himself.
Speaking to the Irish Independent this afternoon, he said: "No, I don't get bothered about what appears in British tabloids.
"I am always of the view that if somebody engages in name calling it is probably because they don't want to talk about the substance.
"What matters really is what happens between the Governments - the 27 Governments of the EU, the institutions (and the UK).
"That is all very grown up and civilised".
The Taoiseach added: "I am not the slightest bit concerned about some of that language that we are seeing coming out of London."
Classy.
