Presidential candidate Peter Casey has been criticised for comments he made about the travelling community.

Speaking on the Irish Independent's Floating Voter podcast, Casey said he doesn't believe travellers should be given ethnic minority status.

Hugh O'Connell, political correspondent with the Sunday Business Post, thinks that "harking back to anti-traveller tropes" has done Casey a great disservice, but that his comments may have been made to try to garner extra votes.

"It's certainly made him relevant if nothing else. We're in a situation where various polls are showing Michael D Higgins storming away with this election, and so I think other candidates are trying to create as much noise as possible."

Bernard Joyce, director of the Irish Traveller Movement, doesn't think Casey's remarks reflect the views of the majority of Irish people. However, he says questions need to be asked about what constitutes appropriate behaviour from a presidential candidate.

"We need to ask him to reflect on his comments and retract what he said. I think an apology is warranted here."

"The people of Ireland need to ask what type of candidate we want. Do we want somebody who's going to attack the most vulnerable and most ostracised group? I don't think that's acceptable."

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen