Taoiseach Enda Kenny has apologised for calling some people in his hometown of Castlebar, Co Mayo, "whingers" in a criticism he claims was directed at political opponents.

Mr Kenny initially made the remarks at a Fine Gael rally in the town on Saturday and stood by them on numerous occasions over the weekend.

He later said they were targeted at Fianna Fáil councillors in the town and on Monday night apologised to the people of Castlebar.

Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil said the comments displayed arrogance, while some of Mr Kenny’s own Ministers privately said they were ill-advised at best.

Tánaiste Joan Burton also distanced herself from Mr Kenny on the issue.

In his speech on Saturday, Mr Kenny said: "God knows we have some All-Ireland champions here in Castlebar. I don't mean Castlebar Mitchells [GAA club], I mean the whingers that I hear every week saying there's nothing happening.

“Well, I want to assure them that the future is very bright. All we have to do is maintain the progress in terms of our economy. We’ll look after our hospitals, we’ll look after our schools, we’ll look after our infrastructure. We’ll look after the people who create jobs and business and give them that opportunity to grow in the time ahead.”

On Sunday the Taoiseach said he did not regret the comments, adding: “Some of them wouldn’t know sunshine if they saw it.”

Fine Gael sources claimed the Taoiseach realised on Sunday that the issue was damaging and needed to be clarified.

‘No offence’

Mr Kenny was asked about his statement a number of times on Monday. On RTÉ News he said: "My full apologies to the people of Castlebar. I was talking about a small number of Fianna Fáil councillors, they have had a tendency to talk down their own town and I don't agree with that. I meant no offence and I apologise for that completely."

Asked if she agreed with Mr Kenny’s reference to “whingers” in his Mayo constituency, Ms Burton said: “No, I don’t agree with that”.

Ms Burton said she met people every day who were still feeling a “pinch” and had not experienced the fruits of economic recovery.

She said it was good for Mr Kenny to hear people had issues, difficulties and analyses that was different from his. The word “whingers” was “not a term I would use”, she added.

Kenny’s defence

Fianna Fáil's justice spokesman Niall Collins rejected Mr Kenny's defence. "It was quite clear to me and anybody listening that Enda Kenny was directing those remarks at the public."

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised Mr Kenny’s remarks saying the Taoiseach was the one who should “stop his whinging” and “get real”.

“I myself think he is a bit of a whinger and I have endured his whinging for five years,” she told reporters in Dublin on Monday.

“He thinks if you are critical of his Government and if you have been let down by the health services or housing policy, or toss and turn at night over household bills, you are a whinger. I don’t see it that way. I think those people are heroic.”