Tag Archives: Leo Varadkar

Majella Moynihan; Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during Leaders’ Questions yesterday

Yesterday.

During Leaders’ Questions.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the case of former Garda Majella Moynihan with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Majella was in early 20s in the mid-1980s when she became pregnant with a Garda recruit.

At the age of 22, she was charged, under Garda regulations, with having premarital sex with another garda and with having given birth to a baby outside of marriage.

She felt forced to give up her son for adoption and later attempted to take her life five times.

On Today with Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio One on Monday, Majella also said she suffered sexual harassment within her workplace, saying: “I feel that they portrayed me as an easy woman so they could say and do whatever they liked to me.”

In the Dáil yesterday, Ms McDonald specifically asked Mr Varadkar if he had spoken to Limerick Fine Gael TD and former Minister for Justice, from 1982 to 1986, Michael Noonan about Majella.

It followed Majella telling Seán O’Rourke on RTÉ Radio One on Monday morning that she raised her story with Mr Noonan ten years ago and that Mr Noonan told her it was an internal Garda matter.

From Ms McDonald and Mr Varadkar’s exchange:

Mary Lou McDonald: “Are there more Majellas out there? What will the Taoiseach do establish the full facts?

“Majella said yesterday that she spoke with Deputy Michael Noonan who was Minister for Justice in 1983, but she spoke to him ten years ago and at that point he said to her that this was an internal Garda matter.

“The mind boggles as to how this could ever have been an internal Garda matter.

“I understand that Deputy Michael Noonan has not responded to this matter.

“Should he now make a statement and has the Taoiseach spoken with him on the issue?”

Leo Varadkar: “I thank the Deputy. In response to her questions, I have not spoken to Deputy Michael Noonan about it.

“I do not know if there are more Majellas out there: there may well be.

“I would have no difficulty apologising to those women on behalf of the State but I would like to know the facts and be able to answer the questions raised by the Deputy today before doing that.”

“… I very much welcome the fact that [Garda] Commissioner [Drew] Harris has offered an apology and that that apology has been repeated and echoed on behalf of the Government by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan.

“Mr Harris will meet her in person and the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, has asked that he be involved in that meeting too. I think that is what should happen next. That meeting should occur between Ms Moynihan and the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and Equality and, perhaps, we can take things from there.

“As she is the one at the centre of this they should be allowed to hear from her rather than us debating here what the next step should be. The next step should be for her and the Commissioner to meet, and the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, would like to be able to attend that meeting with her consent.”

Ms McDonald went on to say she believed Mr Noonan should make a statement on the matter.

Mr Varadkar replied:

“Many people have served as Minister for Justice since 1983. I am not sure how many but it could be a dozen people. I do not think this is about trying to have a go at a politician or former Minister for Justice.

“This is about Majella Moynihan and hearing her story. It is about understanding the wrongs that were done in our past, offering an apology to her from the Garda Commissioner, which has happened, and an apology from the Minister for Justice and Equality, and then allowing them to meet with her to talk about what the next steps forward should be.

“This should not be an occasion for political interaction such as that.”

Previously: “I’ve Heard From Nobody”

“I Remember Just Falling To The Ground”

Ah here.

Gay Community News tweetz:

An Taoiseach, @LeoVaradkar is the latest addition to our #PrideMonth celebration of #queer #Irish people. Becoming, at 38, the youngest person ever to hold the office, he is Ireland’s first, and one of the few openly gay heads of government in modern times. #RainbowIcons

With regard to Leo Varadkar’s inclusion in our #RainbowIcons list. We worked on the list collaboratively to portray a diverse and representative array of notable LGBT figures in Ireland. Leo Varadkar made the list solely due to his being the first ever openly LGBT Taoiseach.

Some responses to the announcement…

On January 27, 2009, Mr Varadkar, during a second stage debate in the Dáil on the Civil Partnership Bill 2009, said:

Every child has the right to a mother and father and, as much as is possible, the State should vindicate that right. That is a much more important right than that of two men or women having a family.

That is the principle that should underline our laws regarding children and adoption.

I am also uncomfortable about adoption by single people regardless of their sexual orientation.

I do not believe I as a single man should adopt a child. The child should go to parents, a mother and father, to replace what the child had before.

Gay Community News

From top: Frenzy and Betrayal (top) by Alan Shatter, above right with Leo Varadkar in 2010

 

The ex-Dublin Rathdown TD writes at length about a now infamous speech given by Mr Varadkar at a road safety conference in March 2014.

Mr Varadkar called on then Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to withdraw controversial remarks he made about the two Garda whistleblowers, Maurice McCabe and John Wilson.

The commissioner used the word “disgusting” in relation to the leaking of details of the scrapping of penalty points by the two men.

By contrast, Mr Varadkar described them as “distinguished” and suggested the Department of Justice was not properly investigating the allegations.

Mr Shatter was in Mexico on government business at the time and felt “ambushed” by the comments.

In his book, he claims Mr Varadkar chose to “entirely ignore” briefings from the Department of Justice on the actions being taken and the fact the issue had been referred to the Garda Inspectorate.

Mr Shatter says the RSA event was used “as a platform for a publicity-seeking piece of self promotion”.

“The speech also clearly promoted the false narrative that both Callinan and I had ‘turned a blind eye to McCabe’s complaints…”

“I believe that Varadkar was opportunistically reigniting a controversy, despite knowing the background to be more complex than the public could have understood or as presented by Opposition politicians and media commentators.”

He continued: “Varadkar was depicted as the handsome hero, Luke Skywalker, and Martin Callinan and I joined at the hip as Darth Vader, with the shadow of Maurice McCabe cast across the whole stage.”

Leo Varadkar betrayed me to win power, Shatter claims (Independent.ie)

Previously: Revenge Is A Cold Canapé

Frenzy In High Places

Thanks Bebe

Rollingnews

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during Leaders’ Questions

This afternoon.

In the Dáil, during Leaders’ Questions.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin raised what he called “the shifting sands” in relation to the composition of the consortium which will be responsible for delivering the Government’s National Broadband Plan.

In particular he drew attention to the relationship between Granahan McCourt, owned by US billionaire David McCourt; Tetrad Corporation; and McCourt Global, which is owned by David McCourt’s billionaire brother Frank McCourt.

In doing so, he claimed the Government hasn’t been fully transparent about the financial guarantees from different entities which will underpin the project.

Mr Martin’s comments followed Justine McCarthy, in The Sunday Times, reporting at the weekend that McCourt Global were denying that they had involvement in the broadband plan, despite the Minister for Communications Richard Bruton saying they did last week.

Prior to last weekend’s report, Ms McCarthy previously reported that Frank McCourt was also at a dinner meeting that the former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten held with David McCourt in New York in July 2018.

Last Sunday Mr McCarthy reported:

“After repeated attempts to contact him [former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten] last week, Naughten said on Friday that he would reply by email to questions about his interactions with Frank McCourt. He has not done so.”

Mr Varadkar told Mr Martin today that he was “weaving one of his many conspiracy theories”.

Mr Martin started out by saying that last week Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen was told there were three investors involved the plan – Granahan McCourt, Tetrad Corporation and McCourt Global.

He said just last evening, Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley was told both Tetrad Corporation and McCourt Global had reiterated their support to final tender.

But he said, last night, in a further written reply, it emerged there will only be two investors – Tetrad Corporation and Granahan McCourt.

He added:

“And we’re also told, Deputy Dooley was, that Tetrad provided a commitment in relation to the equity only required for the project. In other words, they will contractualise a legal underpinning of €175million from the lead bidder – a far cry from the €2.4billion Taoiseach that you gave the impression in the House some time ago that they would be putting in.

“There is no legal lein from what we can see on that at all.”

Mr Martin went on to raise the dinner meeting between the then Minister for Communications Denis Naughten and US business man David McCourt in July 2018 in New York, and the minutes of the same.

Mr Martin said:

“Taoiseach, in hindsight, I would put it to you that that meeting held on 16th of July, 2018 in New York, between former minister [for communications Denis] Naughten and David MCourt, Frank McCourt was actually quite significant.

“It was a month before the deadline for guarantees of financial underpinning and the consortium had to be submitted. The deadline was August 15th.

“Four serious issues were discussed in relation to the project. We know that there was a need for a permanent Irish-based leadership position, the importance of the 15th of August 2018 deadline and the need for the necessary financing to be in place at the time. This deadline will be met, the minutes say.

“‘The need for any changes in the make-up of the consortium to be avoided or, if necessary, to be kept to a minimum’. ‘The importance of this issue is understood by the consortium which has been advised by Arthur Cox that as long as the consortium’s lead bidder remains unchanged, such changes should not necessitate any delay’.

“Now we now of course know that there was a change in the lead bidder actually from Enet to GMC [Granahan McCourt]. There was a change in the lead bidder and there was a change in the consortium. And there was a change in those who were financially underpinning the project.

“And there’s been an impression since Taoiseach that McCourt Global have been in this from the very beginning. McCourt Global are saying they weren’t involved in this, in any shape or form. And Frank McCourt was at that meeting, Taoiseach.

“Minister Naughten had to resign, he’s been less than forthcoming. He’s gone silent, he’s not available to comment on this. And I’m putting it to you Taoiseach that it’s extremely important that you would talk to the former minister and get him to give a comprehensive, transparent statement in terms of all of these meetings.

“You might confirm to me, Taoiseach, did Peter Smyth [who reviewed the plan’s process last year and found meetings Naughten had with McCourt didn’t influence the process], during his inquiries speak to Frank McCourt?

“Where will the ultimate liability fall if the plan fails? Or if Granaham McCourt Dublin Limited folded – would it fall on Tetrad Corporation to provide the equity on the National Broadband Plan?”

In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said there was nothing new in what Mr Martin said and that it was well known that the consortium had changed for many months.

He added:

“I wasn’t at that dinner [in New York]. No current member of Government was at that dinner. Minister Naughten was, I can’t answer questions on his behalf but I am confident that all of this was covered in the independent report done on this matter carried out by Peter Smyth some months ago and that’s published and in the public domain.”

He added:

“In relation to the financial guarantees, National Broadband Ireland will make available €220million in equity and working capital upfront. This will be legally required by the contract which is being finalised. There is no upfront contribution from the taxpayer. The taxpayer only contributes after the fibre is deployed, homes are passed and subsequently connected.

“The total cost of the project is between €5billion and €6billion, including VAT and contingencies with roughly half coming from the State in the form of the Exchequer subsidy and the other half from the investor and commercial revenues.”

“In terms of the upfront contribution – €175million comes from Tetrad Corporation and the rest from Granahan McCourt Dublin Ireland Limited. The funding commitments will be contractualised in advance of the contract award…”

Mr Varadkar went on to say:

“I understand the department has now corrected the record and clarified any confusion in relation to McCourt Global’s role. It’s role, as I outlined to the Dail last week, is one of two entities relied on for pre-qualification.

“They provided a letter of support. At final tender the equity commitments were provided by Tetrad and I’m sure Minister Bruton will be happy to clarify any further issues or to answer any further questions in this regard.”

Mr Martin said Mr Varadkar’s respond was unsatisfactory and that the information had been “dragged” from him.

He also said that, as for Mr Varadkar’s assertion that the record was corrected, this only emerged last night in PQ replies.

He added:

“You can’t go on being as detached as you are. A former minister responsible for this project and this tender met with the preferred bidder on a number or occasions.

“And we were led to believe they were all innocent dinners – ‘ah sure, we’re just having a personal lunch’. They were not, come off it, Taoiseach.

“You can’t stand up here as Taoiseach of the country and say ‘no one in the current Government is involved’. For God’s sake, he was a former minister with you. You still depend on him for support.

“Frank McCourt, of Global McCourt [sic], was at that dinner and they weren’t there talking about the weather.”

“…You pretended you saw no evil until all the other dinners emerged and then Denis Naughten fell on his sword. Denis Naughten, the former minister, has an obligation to talk to the House and tell us everything that took place in relation to this.”

“Gobal McCourt [sic] have now disappeared. Global McCourt [sic] have now disappeared minister, and you’re department was telling The Sunday Times two weeks ago that, your department was telling The Sunday Times two weeks ago that Global McCourt [sic] were the financial underpinners of this project in two series of articles.

“You’re confusing the [inaudible] deliberately in my view, at this stage. What are you hiding in relation to the relationships between GMC and Tetrad and Global..”

Mr Varadkar went on to say:

“The fact that Deputy Naughten attended those dinners is old news. It’s been in the public domain for many months, we knew that last year. Deputy Naughten resigned from Government over six months ago and we used the interim period to make sure that this bid was sound and that it was the right one to go forward with. And an independent report was done by Peter Smyth, as the independent auditor, dealing with all these matters.”

“Deputy, deputy, deputy, calm down, deputy you need to calm down…

“Ceann Comhairle, the deputy really needs to calm down here. The Government has been very transparent on this matter.

“What’s happening here is, once again, once again, Deputy Martin is weaving one of his many conspiracy theories.”

Mr Martin replied that when the controversy arose over Mr Naughten’s dinner meetings, Mr Varadkar also accused Mr Martin of creating a conspiracy theory.

“Twenty-four hours later, he resigned,” he added.

US giant McCourt Global denies backing David McCourt’s national broadband bid (Justine McCarthy, The Sunday Times, May 19, 2019)

 

Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy

Summary of new report on ‘new dwelling completions’ from the Central Statistics Office; tweet from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

This morning.

New figures from the Central Statistics Office state there were 4,275 “new dwelling completions” in the first quarter of this year.

According to the CSO the figure “is based on the number of domestic dwellings connected by the ESB Network to the electricity supply and may not accord precisely with Local Authority or Eircode Routing Key boundaries”.

Over the same period last year, there were 3,470 such completions.

Meanwhile…

And…

Daft.ie’s report from earlier this week on the first quarter of this year and the rental market stated:

“…the level of supply needed for rents to not change is about 13,000 per quarter, or 1,000 per week. Currently, the Dublin market is getting half that – about 500 per week.

“To close that gap, Dublin needs to build tens of thousands more rental homes. How many depends on how frequently these change tenants.

“Suppose the average tenancy last three years, which is somewhat shorter than is currently the case (and thus lowering the total number of homes needed).

“In that case, Dublin would need build an extra 500 rental homes to come on the market each week for those full three years, to close the gap between the 500 that are coming on and the 500 that are needed.

“That’s almost 80,000 rental homes that Dublin needs to build, as soon as possible.”

Read the CSO report in full here