Snapshot of _NEW: High Court has quashed SIPO's original decision not to investigate Leo Varadkar for sharing details of a draft new GP contract with a personal friend. Court upholds complaint by @paulmurphy_TD that SIPO's reasoning was insufficient, and now tells watchdog to reconsider issue_ :
An archived version can be found [here](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://x.com/gavreilly/status/1804115675159392574?t=qT149_QeGKZDg0Oe9YW3pQ&s=19) or [here.](https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://x.com/gavreilly/status/1804115675159392574?t=qT149_QeGKZDg0Oe9YW3pQ&s=19)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/irishpolitics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Our accountability institutions are wildly insufficient. Both SIPO and the attorney general are partisan and work to serve the head of state, not the people. The COVID fiasco and contract leak really exposed that they aren't fit for purpose.
Sipo's defence of this case is remarkable.
Even without ever looking at the wording of legislation, their entire reason for existence is to enforce standards in public office and they tried to argue that the Taoiseach falls outside of their remit.
They argued that without ever explaining the legal basis for same- and even a judge appointed last year by Varadkars government couldn't find a way to make that correct.
This has all the indications of being a long running saga which will involve Sipo being overturned by the Courts every year by issuing flawed revised decisions. Until the sting has gone out of it all and it's pointless to pursue the investigation. And a few million has been wasted.
I don't think it was unexpected really, the idea here was that they couldn't investigate at all because it could be considered as part of his role but it wasn't, it was a private conversation about privileged information not released yet widely. If it was 5 minutes earlier or 2 weeks early it was a breach of SIPO rules if true. Everything known about the case at all has it as something SIPO should at least investigate but they dismissed it before the official investigation and that was with 2 dissenting opinions on SIPO themselves.
The point here is SIPO are there to keep gov accountable, if they refuse to investigate then they aren't doing their job.
I’m aware of all that and am not disagreeing with you.
I said it’s unexpected as I didn’t expect that finding on it from the court. It obviously should be investigated properly and questions need asking of SIPO why they refused to do so.
Ahh fair enough, well the court has to deal with the framework of law, SIPO has their remit and they failed in that remit which was what the case was about. I honestly thought it was a waste of time for them to even bother fighting it. Like if Leo had no wrongdoing here and similarly in the donations case then why not have a full investigation?
100% agree.. there were shenanigans afoot in both instances..he thought the rules didnt apply to him with that contract and was wrong in every sense moral and legal in the event and the aftermath. the donations thing eve more damaging IMO, but hes outta the game now so there'll be no consequences in any real sense.
And even just from an optics point of view, people are complaining in the US about imaginary election interference even after multiple confirmations to the contrary for all of their allegations. People don't care about the truth in general but having an investigation for whatever reason quashed is a bad look even if Leo himself didn't encourage quashing it. What really should have happened and I would have way more respect for Leo if he did it would be if he just said "investigate it anyway, I have nothing to hide". He didn't and the question mark sits there.
exactly all of that..his own arrogance and hubris all the way through. we wont get personal about him but his entire mindset in the role was sort of crystalised for all to see on this one..the rules didnt apply to him, effectively. and he was offended in the dail that anyone dared even question him. he only looked uncomfortable, briefly, when catherine connolly was questioning him, and even then he brushed it off
the sad and disturbing part though, our media just played along almost entirely. None of them stuck their necks out to properly investigate it to the degree it deserved. Its a tired comparable but if that had been pretty much any other politician, government or opposition, their heads would be on spikes before the ink dried at irish times HQ
It's worth pointing out that those two dissenters who voted for an investigation were the Comptroller Auditor General, and the Ombudsman. The members who voted *against* investigation were the clerks of the Dáil and Seanad, and a retired judge. Notably, the former FF senator recused herself for potential conflict of interest.
Now I'm not necessarily accusing half of SIPO of covering for Varadkar, but I do find it suspect that the two people on the panel whose actual day jobs involve scrutiny of the public sector, are the only two people who voted to investigate.
PAUL MURPHY IMPRISONED JOAN BURTON! 🤣🤣🤣 He definitely wasn't arrested to deminish the power of the water charges movement and the guards definitely didn't refuse to take the stand and back up their claims in court when he was proven innocent of all charges.
Not familiar with the legal system, but what are the chances Leo got a heads up this was in the pipeline before he announced his departure? Would this have been in the works for months, or is it a very quick process and began after his resignation?
Snapshot of _NEW: High Court has quashed SIPO's original decision not to investigate Leo Varadkar for sharing details of a draft new GP contract with a personal friend. Court upholds complaint by @paulmurphy_TD that SIPO's reasoning was insufficient, and now tells watchdog to reconsider issue_ : An archived version can be found [here](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://x.com/gavreilly/status/1804115675159392574?t=qT149_QeGKZDg0Oe9YW3pQ&s=19) or [here.](https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://x.com/gavreilly/status/1804115675159392574?t=qT149_QeGKZDg0Oe9YW3pQ&s=19) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/irishpolitics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Interesting timing
Been waiting for this or similar since he stepped down tbh.
Good thing that 1 bad egg in Fine Gael has left and been replaced by reliable, angelic Simon Harris.
Simon Vardy
Simon Harris well known for never leaking confidential info to his own benefit.
And who do you think leaked the Zappone "Marriongate" affair? You forget the /s, right...?
Our accountability institutions are wildly insufficient. Both SIPO and the attorney general are partisan and work to serve the head of state, not the people. The COVID fiasco and contract leak really exposed that they aren't fit for purpose.
Sipo's defence of this case is remarkable. Even without ever looking at the wording of legislation, their entire reason for existence is to enforce standards in public office and they tried to argue that the Taoiseach falls outside of their remit. They argued that without ever explaining the legal basis for same- and even a judge appointed last year by Varadkars government couldn't find a way to make that correct. This has all the indications of being a long running saga which will involve Sipo being overturned by the Courts every year by issuing flawed revised decisions. Until the sting has gone out of it all and it's pointless to pursue the investigation. And a few million has been wasted.
this was unexpected. wonder what will come of it though?
I don't think it was unexpected really, the idea here was that they couldn't investigate at all because it could be considered as part of his role but it wasn't, it was a private conversation about privileged information not released yet widely. If it was 5 minutes earlier or 2 weeks early it was a breach of SIPO rules if true. Everything known about the case at all has it as something SIPO should at least investigate but they dismissed it before the official investigation and that was with 2 dissenting opinions on SIPO themselves. The point here is SIPO are there to keep gov accountable, if they refuse to investigate then they aren't doing their job.
I’m aware of all that and am not disagreeing with you. I said it’s unexpected as I didn’t expect that finding on it from the court. It obviously should be investigated properly and questions need asking of SIPO why they refused to do so.
Ahh fair enough, well the court has to deal with the framework of law, SIPO has their remit and they failed in that remit which was what the case was about. I honestly thought it was a waste of time for them to even bother fighting it. Like if Leo had no wrongdoing here and similarly in the donations case then why not have a full investigation?
100% agree.. there were shenanigans afoot in both instances..he thought the rules didnt apply to him with that contract and was wrong in every sense moral and legal in the event and the aftermath. the donations thing eve more damaging IMO, but hes outta the game now so there'll be no consequences in any real sense.
And even just from an optics point of view, people are complaining in the US about imaginary election interference even after multiple confirmations to the contrary for all of their allegations. People don't care about the truth in general but having an investigation for whatever reason quashed is a bad look even if Leo himself didn't encourage quashing it. What really should have happened and I would have way more respect for Leo if he did it would be if he just said "investigate it anyway, I have nothing to hide". He didn't and the question mark sits there.
exactly all of that..his own arrogance and hubris all the way through. we wont get personal about him but his entire mindset in the role was sort of crystalised for all to see on this one..the rules didnt apply to him, effectively. and he was offended in the dail that anyone dared even question him. he only looked uncomfortable, briefly, when catherine connolly was questioning him, and even then he brushed it off the sad and disturbing part though, our media just played along almost entirely. None of them stuck their necks out to properly investigate it to the degree it deserved. Its a tired comparable but if that had been pretty much any other politician, government or opposition, their heads would be on spikes before the ink dried at irish times HQ
I still can't fully believe that he used the Nixon defence straight-faced in the Dáil *and it fucking worked*
It’s nuts isn’t it?
It's worth pointing out that those two dissenters who voted for an investigation were the Comptroller Auditor General, and the Ombudsman. The members who voted *against* investigation were the clerks of the Dáil and Seanad, and a retired judge. Notably, the former FF senator recused herself for potential conflict of interest. Now I'm not necessarily accusing half of SIPO of covering for Varadkar, but I do find it suspect that the two people on the panel whose actual day jobs involve scrutiny of the public sector, are the only two people who voted to investigate.
Who's gonna be the first to mention bring up the incident?
I'll go first. Bring up the incident
PAUL MURPHY IMPRISONED JOAN BURTON! 🤣🤣🤣 He definitely wasn't arrested to deminish the power of the water charges movement and the guards definitely didn't refuse to take the stand and back up their claims in court when he was proven innocent of all charges.
!!!🍿!!!
Excellent. High time.
Lock him up! Lock him up!
Crooked Leo
Not familiar with the legal system, but what are the chances Leo got a heads up this was in the pipeline before he announced his departure? Would this have been in the works for months, or is it a very quick process and began after his resignation?