Brendan Gleeson: ‘I had reasons to call Taoiseach a moron'

Extra.ie​

3 days ago

Brendan Gleeson has said he won't take back calling Taoiseach Micheál Martin a 'moron' almost 20 years ago, but the actor added he now prefers a more constructive approach.
The Hollywood star said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' after witnessing 'unacceptable' treatment at a hospital.
Gleeson, who is now supporting a major fundraising effort for St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, criticised the health service on an appearance on The Late Late Show in 2006. Brendan Gleeson. Pic: Chelsea Lauren/REX/Shutterstock
Asked about the comments yesterday, Gleeson said it was the way he 'really felt at the time' and that he was 'raging' with Mr Martin.
He added that he is 'glad' he highlighted the problems at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin at the time, but now thinks a constructive and compassionate approach is more appropriate.
'The vociferous nature of it was fine, but I did find afterwards it became a thing then where everybody is screaming, shouting and enraged and all this kind of stuff,' he said. Micheál Martin. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
'I feel I had reason – and it was my younger self, and I'm glad I did it – I think it needed to be drawn attention to, but how many times does it need to be drawn attention to, and how constructive is that 19 years on?'
The actor says he now has a glass-half-full approach, describing 'reactionary outragers' as 'boring'.
Gleeson is supporting a major fundraising effort for the building of a 24 single-bed in-patient unit at St Francis Hospice, where both his parents received care.