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LAST UPDATE | 6 Nov 2020
SINN FÉIN HAS tabled a motion of no confidence in Leo Varadkar following controversy over the Tánaiste giving a copy of an agreement between the government and the Irish Medical Organisation to a rival GP group last year.
The motion will be debated in the Dáil next Tuesday.
In a statement this afternoon, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said this is “the right thing to do and it is the necessary thing to do”.
Varadkar faced pressure following the news which broke in the Village Magazine last weekend.
Yesterday, Sinn Féin accused the Tánaiste of throwing Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, with whom he shared the document, “under the bus”.
The issue of sharing the agreement was raised again by Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty during Leaders’ Questions yesterday.
Mary Lou McDonald said: “The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has decided to take no action. The Opposition cannot sit idly by, so we have acted.”
She said this is “more of the old Fine Gael behaviour where it is about who you know and insiders getting access to the corridors of power”.
A Sinn Féin spokesperson said earlier: “We took the decision due to the seriousness of this situation and the fact that the Tánaiste has faced no sanction nor has he given a credible account for his actions in providing confidential information to a friend.”
This motion will allow the Dáil to say to the people that no one is above being held to account and that there are consequences when you act as Leo Vardakar has done.
Commenting on this motion, a spokesman for the Tánaiste said Varadkar “dealt with all the issues in the Dáil this week”.
“This motion clearly shows that Sinn Féin isn’t interested in the truth. They’re only interested in political mudslinging attacking the Irish government at a time of national crisis and diverting attention from the unanswered questions about their receipt of public money in the North.”
Several party officials stepped down from Sinn Féin over a failure to return
£10,000 payments from an emergency Covid-19 fund.
In the event of a motion of no confidence, members of government parties are expected to vote with the government and the whip will apply.
Earlier this week, Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan outlined inconsistencies in Varadkar’s statement on the controversy, but said Varadkar’s resignation as Tánaiste and Business Minister would be “bad for the country”.
Today, O’Callaghan indicated that he will vote in line with the government on the no-confidence motion. Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry said that “presumably the party will consider the matter next week”.
MacSharry recently said he was “beyond disgust and depression at issues of the last number of days”, telling the Taoiseach Micheál Martin that there was “palpable anger throughout the country” from party members to see Martin out “as chief flag flyer for Leo”.
The Sligo TD accused Martin of dragging the party down to 11% in the polls, stating “you need to accept you are part of the problem. Not the solution. At the moment you are the problem. I am disgusted with your conduct”.
Chair of the Fine Gael parliamentary party Richard Bruton said it is “incredible” that Sinn Féin would “waste time engaging in narrow tribal politics on a motion that seeks to bring down the government”.
“An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar comprehensively answered all of the questions put to him in the debate on Tuesday and apologised for the manner in which he sent the document,” Bruton said in a statement.
Jesus, relax. Compared to what’s going on across the water, Leo is a saint. He didn’t break the law, he made a mistake and apologized. He’s not perfect, but I’d still prefer him over Micheal Martin.
@Mike Ryan: A mistake? Do you think what he did was a mistake Mike?
@David Corrigan: he apologized, it’s not like he attended a political rally in another country during lockdown a few months ago
@Mike Ryan: why do you have to compare him with such a low benchmark? Why the need for whataboutism at all?
Do you believe that the sharing of confidential documents with a third party for the purpose of their benefit is non-sanctionable behaviour by a public official?
@Stephen Ring: who benefited????
@Patrick O Connell: No he just passed on confidential government documents.to an unauthorised person.
@Patrick O Connell: Apologies should not be accepted for corrupt action Paddy.
@Patrick O Connell: Good man Pa, always defending the indefensible. Next you will be telling us that the child poverty and homelessness caused by FG isn’t as bad as they are making it out to be.
@David Corrigan: Stephen mentioned that people benefited, who benefited?? And to what end???
@Patrick O Connell: the NAGP benefitted insofar as they were given insight into a negotiation to which they were not a party, which allowed them to present themselves as being of greater consequence than they were to their membership in the pursuit of retaining them (and their subscriptions).
FG benefitted by not having that same group campaign against them, as was threatened.
@Patrick O Connell: Leo politically, with NAGP backing him for slipping confidential files to them. You know this already though
@Patrick O Connell: Leo disclosed information to a friend who was a member of a rival organisation to the organisation who were in negotiations with the government. Do you not see anything remotely wrong with that picture?
@Patrick O Connell: Dr O’toole benefited…..have you not been following this story?
@Stephen Ring: the NAGP went on to protest outside the Dail on numerous occasions with members of the opposition standing beside them so you can hardly see FG benefiting there. Has any person benefited financially?
@MickN: Correct. Didn’t they threaten to divert 2500 (or thereabouts) votes also?
@Patrick O Connell: You are missing the point altogether here as usual.
@Patrick O Connell: You have all the answers word for word as spoken by the great one himself.
If you haven’t seen the footage i suggest you look at it. If you have seen it I suggest you look at it again.
We get the point with you being a party man but surely even a party man can see through that act. Are you really that gullible? Really?
@Patrick O Connell: so corruption is only corruption when corrupt acts have the desired consequence? And those consequences are monetary?
The NAGP were trying to stay relevant to retain their subscription paying members. The document gave them credibility to that end. That’s the advantage. Dr O’Tuathail, as the holder of a remunerated position in the NAGP, had a vested interest in it staying operational. Even if he wasn’t remunerated that wouldn’t make it okay as the advantage to the organisation is clear.
And protesting against government action is not the same as campaigning against a particular party in an election.
What part of the above do you disagree with?
@Donal Desmond: As Jim O Callaghan said:”motivation is irrelevant”!
@Mike Ryan: he really reminds me of a trump in the making. awful what he did using Dr. Mait. narciss is ist.
@Patrick O Connell: Let’s get this down on record then please. If Doherty did what Leo did, would you have no problem with it?
@MickN: how did Leo benefit politicaly???
@Patrick O Connell: why have you ignored my response? Is it because it shows your defence to simply be a series of insubstantial deflections?
@Mike Ryan: you remind me of the song, “I’m blue I was deed I was diiiiiieed”
@Patrick O Connell: Has any person benefited financially?
Doesn’t matter, the guy clearly has a habit of leaking things and thinks it’s acceptable behaviour.
Have you any confidence that the same thing won’t happen again?
@Mike Ryan: hilarious
@Patrick O Connell: “Letter from NAGP to Martin Heydon saying that they would begin campaigning against their local TDs and senators and inform their patients how Fine Gael policies was harming general practice if they were not included in negotiations”
@Patrick O Connell: “NAGP threatened to campaign against FG two months before receiving confidential document”
@Mike Ryan: are you for real a mistake anyone else who done what he done would have been sacked
@Mike Ryan: says who?
@Mike Ryan: giving away confidential documents is against the law, so he more than likely did break the law.
He also broke the rules of Government
@David Corrigan: complete waste of time by SF taking up speaking time on rubbish. Go concentrate on how we get people back to work and stop point scoring.
@Niall Fynite: He has a big hatred for Sinn Fein. He mentioned them on the article about Isreal too when it had nothing to do with them. Just blind hatred is all
@David Corrigan: I think your point is that you despise FG and any infringement will result in your pearl clutching and moral outrage. I would have to question whether such a posture would be adopted were it SF at the centre of this.
@Patrick O Connell: Its irrelevant what was in in the document the fact is an official Government document was shared by the leader of government to one of his friends!
@Patrick O Connell: “he apologized”
Saying I’m sorry that this caused a controversy and some people were hurt is not an apology for what he did whatever our national media outlets say.
@james foley: Direct your anger at SF please James.
@Simon Power: I don’t despise anyone. I only expect fair play and people to do their job correctly. Am I asking too much Si?
@Patrick O Connell: Two wrongs do not make a right.
@Mike Ryan: why compare to over in the states? He was wrong and that’s a fact
@Mike Ryan: this isn’t America, he did break the law, and it wasn’t a mistake.
@Mike Ryan: I agree, att the end of the day, this motion is a total waste of valuable Dail time. The dogs in the streets know this will not be carried and if it did it would lead to a GE in 3 weeks time. SF have never been successful with the motions of no confidence,
@David Corrigan: the nagp weren’t in those negotiations. The nagp went to the wall three months later. Yeah, they benefited alright.
@Mike Ryan: The first comment here is staged. STAGED.
This is a fupping massive deal
@Mike Ryan: Well im glad you sorted all that out Mike. To hell with him passing government documents to his buddy who had no business seeing them. As long as your happy thats ok, lets all forgive Leo and forget about it !! Because Mike prefers Leo to Micheal !!
@Patrick O Connell: this is just to deflect the horrible job they are doing in government in the North not to mention getting caught pocketing the Covid money.
@David Corrigan: thats todays society everything is forgotten to easily. We take it up the pipe
@Mike Ryan: spoken
Like a true believer……….Leo is true c@“t
@Patrick O Connell: what other country
@Chris Mc: they didnt pocket it they never applied for it, it was paid to them by a department without an application by a dept headed by a dup mla, they dudnt spend it, they paid it back albit late. Mountain out of molehill. Should have paid it back straight away but they didnt apply for it at the start. Did dup members and families make money from cash for ash? It was applied for and not paid back even though it was clearly a money making racket.
@Patrick O Connell:And I suppose this is right and correct,it will only be carried because of the whip system in Irish politics.Cowan had to step down because he broke the law, right and proper now under the same circumstances and let’s be honest about it Leo broke the law and Govt confidentiality he must step down.The b.s excuse that it was a mistake is exactly that b.s a mistake is something that is made without pre meditation or purpose Leo knew exactly what he was doing and this crap that it would be a bad time for Irish politics if he resigned is rubbish he has singularly done nothing that would be missed within an Irish govt that could not be replaced by somebody else. This softly softly approach to white collar corruption and cronyism within Irish politics has to be put and end to
@Patrick O Connell: Well Leo certainly thought he had benefited until he was found out.
@Mike Ryan: this is just to deflect on the job they are doing in the North and the money resting in their account.
@Mike Ryan: Speaking about Trump,it’s amazing the comparison between FF& Green Party’s condemnation of :’Leo Varadkar under fire for telling Trump Doonbeg anecdote-Irish Times’ compared to the serious matter of leaking a Government document marked’CONFIDENTIAL’and NOT FOR CIRCULATION to his friend when he asked for it!
Leo brought the integrity of this government further into disrepute, which is an achievement in itself. Fair play to SF for holding politicians to account, clearly FF/FG and greens have no interest in changing for the public good.
@Patrick O Connell: For what?
@David Corrigan: in general, putting forward a motion that they know will be defeated so wasting up valuable Dail time that could be put to better use
@Patrick O Connell: That is down to how poor our political system is but I would agree with you, it is a pointless exercise when all government TD’s will be told how to vote.
@Patrick O Connell: Over the past week we have seen how Varadkar ‘s behaviour was defended by members in Government but as Jim O Callaghan said “motivation is irrelevant”.
NB:We shall see in the vote how many TDs will defend the Code of Conduct for Office Holders: which is part of the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995&2001 including the Government Guidelines for Office Holders (issued pursuant to section 15(4) of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995)
1.6: Office holders IN PARTICULAR SHOULD’respect confidences entrusted to them in the course of their official duties. Wouldn’t a document marked ‘CONFIDENTIAL’and not for circulation come under that Code of Conduct for Office Holders??!
@Patrick O Connell: Agreed Patrick.Its diverting attention from all the Sinn Fein scandals,If they put as much effort into telling the relatives of the disappeared where their loved ones bodies are buried it would be a better days work,Or tell Paul Quinn’s mother who butchered her son,
@Phonsie Travers: And maybe you just forgot about all the scandals Fine Gael presided over? Will we remind you???
@Patrick O Connell: just trying to make themselves look relevant as usual…
@Phonsie Travers: which disappeared are you referring to ? The people down in Cork who FFG disappeared, is it ?
@Patrick O Connell: it was actually a very clever move to call for a no confidence vote:) now we will see the calibre of this government.
@Phonsie Travers: it is actually a very clever move to put forward a no confidence vote. Now we will see the calibre of this government.
@Phonsie Travers: you never mentioned the tribunals.
I had really warmed to Varadkar. I have really unwarmed to him now.
@The Guy is Here: We have a pandemic and Brexit and all the TD’s do in the Dail is point score against each other and retire into the Dail bar after doing nothing. Bet the bar is open.
@The Guy is Here: fickle much?
@The Guy is Here: I’ve never warmed to Varadkar but they’re making a mountain out of a molehill here.
Leo Varadkar has brought corruption to the highest office in the land, again, the fish rots from the head as the saying goes. How can we expect to other ministers and officials to behave in a non corrupt manner if the leader of the country is corrupt. How can he, as taoiseach, then tell anyone else to act in the national interest. Untenable.
Of course he has to go.
@Joe Johnson: yeah best of pals over a pint. Agency work as well just above min wage being paid also.
Good, this should have happened after his poor explanation and his missing text messages! I dont think shift him mind, but at least keeps the pressure up.
@Claire Joyce: Yeah that has played on my mind a little. Who deletes their text messages? Could have just said he has changed phones since or something but saying he deleted the messages made me put on my Suspicious Hat.
@Football in the Groin: You’d be mad not to delete your messages of you were a politician. The wrong text leaked in the wrong context could end your career. I’d be keeping texting to a bare minimum as well
@Football in the Groin: usually people with something to hide
@Football in the Groin: they are there somewhere
@Football in the Groin: I delete mine
@Mickety Dee: is it not possible to get the network to provide a copy of the text messages that were sent?
@Niall Moonan: I never keep messages in my phone if I did it would be full in no time and I’ve nothing to hide can’t say the same for varuca….
About time, he has been undermining this government at every opportunity, blessing for FF although they wont admit it..
GOOD. Any other first world country he’d have been gone last Saturday. I look forward to hearing FF and the greens try to excuse this on the Dail record.
@The Risen: Ireland is/was third world, not first.
It’s just a political description of a country’s allegiance during the cold war. Third world was neutral so that was us along with Switzerland, Sweden, Finland etc at the time.
@The Risen: Where would murderers, bank robbers and gun runners be in a first world country?
@EFitz66: Spin Feign whiter than white lol
@The Risen: like the 26 million out of the bank and the three lots of ten grand the shinners forgot go way T F armalite s$ite
@EFitz66: or gangsters like Flynn an Haughey or corrupt politicians like Lowry ,Maria Bailey,Alan Farrell…do you need more?.
@EFitz66: members of FFG , the biggest gun runner this country ever had was Michael Collins, a big hero of FG . Another FF hero Dev brought a gun to the first dail
@Tommy the postman: How about the Billions that the banks facilitated by politicians that brought this country to it’s knees . The fact our grandchildren will still be repaying for this gangsterism. A portion of your income is being taken from you and will be until the day you die , and yet you seem to conveniently fail to mention in your comment. The gangsters and terrorists were the FF/ Green government were in power at the time . The F.F./ Greens who share power with F.G.today .The criminal circus continues.
@Jim Beatty: What century was that again! Do u remember when the Romans invaded Europe?
If we don’t hold today’s politicians, any of them, to account, to fair standards, we can only blame ourselves for accepting that!
Good news!!!
It will be interesting to see how FF and the Greens vote? Will they allow a free vote?
@Bernard A Kavanagh: the whip will apply so all government TDs will have to defeat the vote. The shinners know this and it is nothing but a publicity stunt.
@Bernard A Kavanagh: He has been leaking and causing trouble since MM took office.. They should take this opportunity , cant have a stable government with leaky causing trouble at every turn ..
@Bernard A Kavanagh: I think this is SF motivation, to show FF and the Greens in a bad light as now they have really say they stand over what Varadkar did, which will cause damage. Michael Martin really messed up here, if he publicly took Varadkar to task, this would have blown over. But instead, he did his best to water it down all for the purpose of power and people can see that.
@Patrick O Connell:
Bullying is frowned upon in society, so stop bullying in the Dáil.
Begin with the Dáil by addressing the democratic deficit of the ‘whip’ system. The role is used to bully public representatives into conforming to the diktat of their party ‘leader’ rather than to the views of the people who elected them.
@Belter: erm,
He didn’t leak this during this government, so your comment is null and void.
Only FG wad in power when he did this.
Would Sinn Fein ever have had confidence in him?
@Jon Shannow: Would you have confidence in him. Martin had to save Varadkar because if Varadkar had fallen , Martin and F.F..would have gone with him. Can only imagen had Martin been in opposition he would have been like a dog with a bone concerning Varadkar. Now Martin criticises Sinn Fein for what he would gladly have done.
@Jon Shannow:
Unlikely!
It’s pay back time for Leo, I’m afraid!
He never loses an opportunity to have a dig at SF, across the floor of the house, when they turn up the heat on issues he’s waxing on about, from time to time!
Leo only has himself to blame, on this indiscretion, even though it’s at the lower end of the scale of leaking, when context is fully considered, understood and accepted.
SF are just making political hay, as the truth doesn’t really matter in this case.
@Rory J Leonard: that’s true. Every time SF raises a valid criticism of FG they just insult them. Enda Kenny was particularly rude and obnoxious. I couldn’t believe he kept getting reelected with such a horrible personality. I can’t be the only sad sack who watches Oireachtas TV.
@Rory J Leonard: Rory,the Codes of Conduct for Office Holders aren’t optional and must be adhered to,no excuses,”motivation is irrelevant”!
@Fionn Darland: In the middle of the same pandemic Varadkar admits he sent confidential government documents to a friend (Ex Friend) .Creates political turmoil..Undermined his own ministers and his Boss the part time Taoiseacht Michael Martin, who had to bail him out .The poster boy of F.G. is now shown for the shallow man he is ..He should have followed Kenny’s mantra of having imaginary friends.
@Donal Desmond: we need to ensure that these high moral and behavioural standards are applied to opposition parties also of course.
@GrumpyAulFella: No problem with that….The usual retort from the part time Taoiseacht Michael Martin is the past. Conveniently forgetting the past history of FFG.
What a waste of time. SF at its best, righteous and populous noise. An apology was rendered and for most decent people that was enough but not for the “victim” party that applies rules and norms to others they themselves do not follow.
@camio55: an apology? He was the leader of the country and was sharing confidential documents with his mate. Change the name leo to trump and how would you react? Change to it mary Lou. Imagine the fury if the headlines were mary Lou McDonald was found to be leaking confidential state documents with a friend in other to damage the recognised union of irish gps.
@Michael Wall: or the outage if your organisation stole £26m from a bank.
Don’t worry, FG on bicycles will save him.
The Greens pretend to have morals and honesty.
The reality is they don’t care about vulnerable people, people with disabilities, the homeless, low income workers, rural dwellers and much more.
If the Greens had any morals they’d call for his head or pull out of Government
@David Grey: what do the vunerable people have to do with the issue in question?
Why do you lump in “rural dwellers” with the other vunerable groups you listed?
@David Grey: Name any opposition party with ‘morals and honesty’?
Wow! Does mean we have an opposition? Because they’ve been MIA since April….
@Shane Fitzgibbon: We have no no opposition in decades…!
@Shane Fitzgibbon: Funny you should say that.. It has been the policy of the mainstream media to wheel out the Labour party as the main opposition. Martin was so rattled after being asked a question by Mary Lou…His answer as usual. Bring up the past.
@Shane Fitzgibbon: What? You mean SF were quiet when the Dáil was suspended and then when they returned FFG/Greens demanded a holiday? No sheet!
@Donal Desmond: In fairness Labour has been the only coherent opposition is the last six months.
Mary Lou is absent and Pearse is a windbag. Pearse’s Dail speech on the budget must be one of the weakest ever.
@Shane Fitzgibbon: there has plenty of opposition. The Government must votes down their motions.
@For Goodness Sake: The so called Labour party are part of the status quo as for windbag ..Pearse has put the part time Taoiseacht Michael Martin and Varadkar on the ropes more often than not.
@For Goodness Sake: in your dreams
Pearce Will make an excellent Minister for Finance. Finally when the people smash fgff
at the next election, SF will bring much
yearned change to this country, that has been
beaten down along with it’s people for a 100 yrs.
Regards from the west of Ireland.
THANK GOD FOR SF
@Pauline Fedigan:
Bring back the option to down vote a comment
Don’t think anyone has confidence in him
@Fionn Darland: Fiona Darling at this stage you could write a book about all the corruption, scandals,backhanders and lies that have been inflicted on us by ffg down the past number of years. These are the people who are actually in power. Do you really think ffg have the majority of the people’s interest at heart? If you do then you are deluded.
@Derek Poutch: Derek, Do you have confidence in SF?
I am willing to give them a chance in government and if they turn out like ffg/lieb/greens I will be the first to call them out on it.
Don’t fall off the band wagon Sinn Fein…. Does it get cold on the Moral High Ground Mary Lou
Can somebody table a motion of no confidence in Sinn Fein
@Brian: dont be daft
Leo should resign , how can anyone have confidence in him. This is the second time he has had to Apologise to Dail Eireann for what he describes as an “error of judgement ” he had Denis Naughton resign over having dinner with somone. This is far worse this is the sharing of confidential material on Government paper.
He had no right and he knew well enough it was wrong. If it was another Minister in his government he would have asked them to consider their position long ago , think of Francis Fitzgerald and (swiging) Bailey….
This is a lot worse than Golfgate, a lot worse than Cowen’ s driving ban. Etc
He needs to resign and sit out this Dail on the back bench and only be reinvited back to frontline politics after the next General Election….
@Paul Buckley: are you for real, if Leo is designated to the back benches, he will never sit
in the front bench again, he’s finished..
The next election will see to that..
Great move by Sinn Fein.
It will be on FF’s record that they voted to support the corrupt leader of Fine Gael.
@Cookie: Currupt? You are a cookie.
Sinn fein have no clue how to run the country, everything would be given to the doleheads and wasters,they would increase tax on multinationals, would have a referendum on united ireland, tax the wealthy, even though the majority of them spent 1000s to go through college, they would ruin the irish economy, any chance they bring no confidence in government, but had the chance to govern themselves but couldnt get the numbers
@mark o donovan: Rable rable rable SF …
@mark o donovan: Mark, this isn’t a forum for truth, unfortunately.
@mark o donovan: 100% Mark. Most sensible post on here today.
@Liz Gallagher:I am not a shinner an far from it what Leo did broke the law and Govt confidentiality he didn’t admit it at the time so he knew what he was doing was wrong and it was far from a mistake because he knew exactly what he was doing. This”I apologise because I was caught”is endemic within Irish politics and needs to be stamped out.White collar corruption and cronyism have got all the state services in the bloated mess they are in typified by the state of the HSE overloaded with friends and family of officialdom in highly paid unnescessary jobs using up the majority of the money that should be going into frontline services.We are all paying for that at the moment with this ongoing lockdown that’s going to wreck many peoples lives because NPHET are covering the HSEs many failings
Typical BS from the Shinners! Pots and kettles.
Proper order….
wont make a difference as he will be supported by his 3 parties as michael and eamonn will be told they must support him
@Martin Hoey: After he has leaked and undermined this Gov from day1…Nice easy way to get a stone out of the shoe…
Leo gotta Go….
Sinn Fein tables a motion confidence in itself to fire arrows, throw dirt, support bent members, and not look at themselves in the mirror.
@Mr T: so elberate please,as far as I know sinn fein have forced resignations of people who have been accused of corruption,maybe I am wrong and you can enlighten me as to how they have supported people who engaged in corruption,and by that I mean politically,I don’t need a history education as I believe that after 20 plus years we have moved past that,every party in the dail apart from the greens and soc dems have a history and fair enough if you don’t like sf policies that is your right,but at least attack them on policy and not some general slander with no point.
@derek hennessy: You must be new here Derek. The general rule is anything Leo does is fantastic.
When he does something that even a blind man can see isn’t fantastic that’s when its Sinn Feins fault.
I assume because mammy and daddy always voted a certain way might have a lot to do with it . Snobbery and assumed grandeur too I would say.
I just come here to wind up the fanatics. Read the comments they are easily identifiable.
I voted for sinn féin but this is just a waste of time.
@Caroline Otoole: No you didnt and no its not
OMG! – What a surprise!!
The part time Taoiseacht Michael Martin on RTE news said this motion should not go ahead..It’s taking away from government work. When in opposition F.F. kept the government in power by confidence and supply. In case Martin forgets it’s the function of the opposition to hold the government to account, Not to turn a blind eye to the actions by members of Martin’s government.
Guess we’ll C U Next Tuesday Leo.
Leo Martin OUT Mary Lou IN
Leo’s message to the people = it’s okay to share classified documents without consent.
Let’s hope everybody, including SF accepts the result of this demoncratic vote next week.
@Hector Son: Everybody in the public accepts democracy but the Government of 3 political parties in the Dail are a majority and most likely will support the Tanaiste.
However supporting the Tanaiste where there was no consequences for his behaviour is wrong and sends a bad message to the public that some politicians are untouchable where no consequences demanded like other politicians!That is wrong!
Remember the public in 2011 by FG there would be a new type of accountable politics with transparency and accountability?The public deserve that!
@Nuala Mc Namara: what consequences would you like to see ? He didn’t break any laws and has apologised.
@Hector Son: At the moment there is no consequences whatsoever and that is the problem!
The Codes of Conduct for Office Holders are NOT optional and “motivation is irrelevant”.
As you know Michael Martin said in the Dail that he didn’t consult the AG over this so we don’t know what his legal opinion would have been on this matter.
I had respect for certain politicians in all political parties even though I mightn’t agree with their policies however that has been dented by the defence of the Tanaiste’s behaviour!It’s a sad reflection on politics when no consequences sought for an Office Holder, actually the highest ranking politician Taoiseach leaking a confidential not for circulation Government document to his friend!!
By the way there should still be accountability and consequences for this despite being in the middle of a pandemic!!!!
Consequences were demanded of other Politicians who lost their Ministerial positions this year!
@Nuala Mc Namara: Actually it’s even more important to have trust in the Government during this pandemic.I have 100% supported all the public health advice and guidelines and have defended same here on the Journal comment forum.Its frustrating and disheartening therefore when any trust in the political system eroded.
@GrumpyAulFella: one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. You havent a clue
@Hector Son: Apologies? The only reason the part time Taoiseacht Michael Martin supported Varadkar, if he fell Martin and F.F. would go with him. Varadkar leaked confidential government documents. It was in the public interest only when he was cought.
If anyone else done that in there job they would be sacked what makes him different
Varadkars vanity & narcissism is in danger of wrecking this very fragile coalition in the middle of a global pandemic and level five lockdown.
He should do the right thing and step down as Tánaiste & leaker of FG (deliberate).
I wonder how many from FF won’t vote with party whip. Wouldn’t be surprised to see this pass.
This is ridiculous, Leo is doing a great job
@David Conway: Destroying FF from within a FF government?
“Well at least he is better than (insert famously terrible political leader here).” FG supporters don’t hold their politicians in very high regard.
@Peter Denham: Thats how far they have fallen, oh well we are better than Trump..
Brown envelopes for everyone in the audience…..lol
Ah the saintly shinners and labour sure none of that lot never make mistakes. Completely infallible of course
OMG! – What a surprise!!
@Dave Lennon: You sound surprised.
Sinn Fein talking about doing what is right after having to sack four minister in the north for fraud, you actually couldn’t make this up
@Felix O Mahoney: but they actually did it. They sacked them. That’s accountability
@Aidan O’ Neill: a fair point, but fraud is a damn sight worse than sharing a document, and is actually a crime, particularly one that should have been public knowledge because it was a deal being done with public funds.
@Felix O Mahoney: it wasnt fraud they didnt apply for it. They kept it in their accounts too long but paid it back. The office run by a dup minister paid it to them without paperwork, great accounting but the DUP are used to that cash for ash
@Mona Murphy: kept it in their account
@Felix O Mahoney: I’m sorry but passing on a confidential govt document could rightly be considered fraud
The shinners are acting the maggot here – getting the Fianna Failers to vote confidence in Leo “the leak” after her has been undermining the government from within for the last two months
Waste of government time,pity they can’t put Dail time to good use
Don’t condone it ! But Pot….Kettle …Black …. stones …glasshouses etc……
‘no confidence’ vote for someone who doesn’t know what the word confident mean has some irony.
And no… he won’t be resign.
@Big Red: A mad auld wan who gets more votes than anyone else. Interesting times in Irish politics.
Why were my posts deleted?
Why …… it will be defeated and forgotten about tomorrow there circling the wagons
Have Sinn Fein nothing better to do their friends in the IRA used to shoot Guards and Rob Banks. They’re not fit to lace Leo’s boots .Cop on Shinners
This motion of no confidence is useless. It will go the same way as all of them do. Because nobody in govt has a backbone. They’ll all vote with Leo and it’ll be game over. Back to business as usual, nothing to see here
Sinn Fein really flailing with this one. What are they at?
@Neil Murray: Headlines and attempting to stay relevant through irrelevant nonsense
They still don’t have enough seats to pass the motion
Compare to shinbots history…no contest!
Sin Fein can’t sit idly by????? They’ve being doing nothing else, and the saying ‘The pot calling the kettle black’ springs to mind… and also scraping the barrel…..
What’s the point in these no confidence votes. They are never passed!
Holy SF. They are now perched up in this very high loft. As a result they now have to lead a near perfect political existence that every other party will be looking up to as a model political party. God help us.
Marc McSharry certainly does not speak for FF members with his outburst against Michael Martin! As a FF TD he is entitled to his opinion but sometimes a cooler, steady hand is needed in these situations! Martin has made the correct decision in terms of putting Country 1st not party ( not for the 1st time) in this instance! Its just usual bluster from SF. Leo was wrong to do what he did…he apologised went into the dail, faced 2 hours of questions…he will be diminished by the experience..ENOUGH SAID!
Looks like Sinn Fein have nothing else to do. We must not have any other problems to focus on…
This is Mary Lou getting her own back on Leo…
Remember, he chastised her in the Dail in front of everyone & T.V. not so long ago…as far as she is concerned..it’s pay back time.
Grow up Mary Lou, he broke no lawns.
yes he made a mistake.
Not so long ago..you marched in a funeral in the North !!!
Sinn fein doing a bad job up north. Like Trump full of bull.
@Divad Nayr: Sinn Féin have to power share up north with the political equivalent of the old testament. And they’re really nothing like Trump either.
This is a nothing story – nobody cares (apart from people with too much time on their hands)
What on earth are S F Talking about.
DAIL not holding government to account for five billion unspent in health budget)
Cits paying government borrowing cost for 20 billion for healtjh.
Now paying also borrowing cost of this lockdown cos HSE has not enuf money for pandemic. I mean that is what Honohon on about in end MONEY.
M L McD spoke to minister who closed country down rather than as TD in DAIL call both minister and hse before the dail to explain need for any lockdown and borrowing for it when five billion dail approved funds for health not spent?
Where is it ?
What is minister doing with it ? .
We cant rely on government who do borrowing and spending.
Dail job to monitor both.
But they are egging govt on to get us into more debt impose more austerity.
What a gaffe. They should have hauled min and HSE in to dail chamber present the figures they can get from the OIREACHTAS BUDGET OFFIce and say we are here for constituents this is the amount of money dail gave u to spend on health and 5 billion euro unspent. What is your dispute ?
SF=So predictable. No imagination to add value to the running of the country.
Leo is damaged beyond repair he can’t be Taoiseach again and is now a liability to the party so why is Martin batting for him
Typical grandstanding as usual. Could they not try and be more original and do something useful !!
have your say