The Taoiseach has been forced into an embarrassing climb-down - after withdrawing his claim that some people in his home town are "whingers".

Enda Kenny this morning said he wasn't referring to local people but to Fianna Fáil politicians - and then later withdrew the comments.

Speaking at a rally in Castlebar on Saturday, he said the town had its fair share of All-Ireland champions - not the local GAA side Castlebar Mitchels, but local 'whingers' who failed to see the positive in anything.

He later said he was speaking about "locals", but this morning told Waterford's WLR FM he was actually referring not to local people but to full-time Fianna Fáil politicians.

This lunchtime he then offered a "mea culpa" and unreservedly withdrew the remarks.

The opposition has hit out at the comments - with one TD even claiming the Taoiseach himself is "a whinger".

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports: