Tag Archives: Merriongate

From top: Miriam O’Callaghan (left) and Katherine Zappone; Fergus Finlay

This morning.

Further to Merriongate…

…via Fergus Finlay in the Irish Examiner:

On July 18, I heard Katherine tell Miriam O’Callaghan on the radio that she would probably live in the US for the rest of her life. She’d visit Ireland, of course, but she had put her house on the market and was severing her connections with her adopted country. (The house is indeed on the market, with lots of promotional material about the work done by Dermot Bannon to modernise it, and an asking price of €750,000.)

She wasn’t asked hard questions in that interview and, as far as I know, it was the last interview she gave. She certainly didn’t mention that she was in conversation with senior ministers about work she might do for Ireland in the US. I wonder what kind of an interview it would have been if Miriam knew then what she knows know.

Then suddenly it was announced, unknown to most of the Cabinet, that she was to be appointed as “special envoy on freedom of opinion and expression” to the UN. No advertisement, no competition, no interview. She wanted it and she got it.

…If it was needed, there should have been a competition for it [the UN envoy role]. We have a large number of men and women in Ireland who would have made excellent candidates. If she was the best, the competition would have established that.

The proof of her sense of entitlement, sadly, lies in the fact that she never gave a single interview about the controversy. This was compounded by the fact that, when the next controversy arose — about her party in the grounds of the Merrion Hotel — all she could do was issue a terse one-liner telling the media to contact the hotel….

Did her party comply with the guidelines? You’d have to be there to know (I wasn’t)…

Fergus Finlay: Ireland deserves better from arrogant Government ministers (Irish Examiner)

Earlier: Cash For Cronies

RollingNews

Gulp.

This morning.

FIGHT!

This morning.

More as we get it.

Meanwhile…

Um.

From top: Aerial view of the Merrion Hotel; venue capacity covid guidelines

Oh.

This morning.

Further to Merriongate…

…TD Translator writes:

This is what the rules are. No way can that hotel hold 5000 outside on its patio. It’s clear Leo The Liar and friends broke the law!

Anyone?

Last night: “A Grubby Little Episode”


From top: Róisín Shortall.; Leo Varadkar and Katherine Zappone

Um.

This afternoon.

Further to Merriongate…

…Social Democrats co leader Róisín Shortall writes:

“The government spent weeks in negotiations with the hospitality industry, about the rules that should apply to their businesses, but we now learn that everybody was working from a misplaced understanding of the law. Instead of the numbers for outdoor social gatherings being strictly curtailed, it is actually possible to host an event with up to 200 people. Curiously, this revelation was only made public after the Tánaiste himself attended a private function in a five-star hotel with 50 guests. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the government has sacrificed its own public health guidelines to save the Tánaiste’s political skin.

“This grubby little episode suggests there is a prevalent attitude, among an elite in Irish society, that there is one rule for the little people and another for them. It is possible to host an event for scores of political insiders at a swanky hotel, but communions and confirmations are deemed too dangerous to proceed while wedding parties cannot exceed 100 guests – even if they are held outside.

“Questions also need to be asked about the public health implications of any revised guidelines. Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan has previously said that large groups of people, in close proximity outdoors, can facilitate the transmission of covid-19. If we now have a scenario in which events of up to 200 people can be held outdoors, what does this mean about the spread of the Delta variant through communities? Has Nphet been consulted about these new guidelines?

Ms Shortall added:

“…Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has yet to give an explanation as to how this role came about, the nature of the job, the precise details of the recruitment process and whether the position is now vacant or not.

“Mr Coveney has said “mistakes were made in how this appointment was brought about”, but he has yet to tell us what those mistakes were and how he plans to address them. The Minister must now answer these questions. There is no reason he cannot give that clarity today.”

Earlier: Merrion Haste, Repent At Leisure

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile…