Ireland’s Prime Minister in Crisis Over Case of Police Whistle-Blower ran the headline in the New York Times in February of this year.

Meanwhile the Irish media tip-toed around the scandal that would ultimately rock the government and lead to the Taoiseach’s resignation. If the Irish media had any moral sense they would be reporting the facts about this scandal and ensuring people are  informed well enough to bring down this Government.

At the time I wrote a post called Bon Voyage about Enda Kenny's leadership leaving a lot of people disillusioned with Irish politics, his 2011 campaign built around a slogan of ‘Burden Sharing’ has proven to be a complete lie and was eroded time and time again by this Fine Gael lead government. You can read more about Fine Gael tactics to embellish the rich in a post called unconscionability.

I didn’t get an opportunity to discuss the McCabe scandal at the time. So first of all I’d like to put a few things in context with the following timeline of events.

1. January 2006 Sgt Maurice McCabe makes a complaint about how two Garda colleagues arrived drunk at the scene of a suicide and claims they mishandled the investigation. One Garda, unnamed, is later disciplined as a result, for further reference let’s call him Garda X.
2. In 2008 Sgt McCabe raises concerns about Garda overturning registered penalty points without investigation (media later report the buddy system and corruption are rampant in the force).
3. In 2012 Sgt McCabe started using the Garda Pulse System to investigate large scale abuse of the penalty point’s system. We all know the findings at this stage. Millions of fake breath tests and illegal expense accounts created by the boys.
4. Still 2012, following intimidation by other members of the Gardai and orders from his superiors to cease his investigation, Sgt McCabe met with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Transport Minister Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister Alan Shatter. Long story short Alan Shatter requested Assistant Commissioner John O’Mahoney to set up an inquiry into the penalty points scandal known as the ‘Ticket Fixing Controversy’. John O’Mahoney did not approach Sgt McCabe to take part in the inquiry and Alan Shatter accused Sgt McCabe of refusing to co-operate with the inquiry. John O’Mahoney finds no evidence of criminality.
5. February 2014 Fianna Fail put the Government under pressure to investigate Sgt McCabe’s allegations further, Fine Gael commission the Guerin Report (conducted by Sean Guerin).
6. March 2014; Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan resigns before Sean Guerin begins his review.
7. May 2014 Justice Minister Alan Shatter resigns prior to findings in the Guerin Report being published which show the Justice Minister failed to investigate allegations of corruption and malpractice in the force.
8. 8th May 2014 Frances Fitzgerald is appointed Minister for Justice and Equality.
9. February 2015 Fine Gael establish the O’Higgins Commission to investigate matters raised in the Guerin Report, relative to Cavan/Monaghan Division of the Gardai.
10. 6th May 2016 Taoiseach Enda Kenny promotes Minister Frances Fitzgerald to second in command as Tanaiste of the country.
11. 11th May 2016 The O’Higgins report was published, it’s findings suggest that by in large McCabe’s complaints were either ‘unfounded or over stated’. Former minister Alan Shatter is vindicated and Fine Gael leader (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny orders The Guerin Report to be removed from the Government website (MerrionStreet.ie) and for Sean Guerin to deliver a corrected version to the Government asap. Again this is Ireland 2016 not Soviet Russia 1961.
12. October 2016 Former Head of the Garda Press Office, Superintendent David Taylor, makes public an orchestrated campaign within the Garda to discredit Mr McCabe. Taylor reveals a file was opened in Garda Headquarters under the name ‘Oisin’ to gather information about McCabes private and professional life, and to keep McCabe under surveillance. Taylor further states he can evidence that former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and his successor Noirin O’Sullivan knew of the campaigns existence. Taylor makes a protected disclosure under whistleblower legislation to Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.  
13. 9th February 2017 the Irish Examiner reveal a Garda conspiracy of intimidation against Sgt Maurice McCabe involving reports to the Child Family Agency (Tusla) claiming he was sexually abusing a child. Tusla issued letters to Sgt McCabe but the letters went to the incorrect address further smearing McCabe’s name in the community.  Turns out the allegations were made by Garda X’s daughter in 2006, for an incident which supposedly happened in 1998 and the DPP threw out the allegation as there was no evidence to support them and even then it could not have characterised the incident as ‘anything more than horseplay’.
14. 10th February 2017 Minister for Children Katherine Zappone issues a statement saying she met with Sgt McCabe to discuss the Tusla allegations and that she had informed relevant government colleagues of her findings. Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald deny any knowledge of Zappone’s meeting with McCabe.  Taoiseach Enda Kenny is found to be incorrect, dare I say lying about his knowledge of the Tusla file and Sinn Fein call for a motion of no confidence in the Government.
15. 14th February 2017 Cllr Brian Murphy speaks out against the Taoiseach on RTE Radio 1 calling for Enda Kenny’s resignation over the McCabe scandal remarking: "The fact we are now going running to Fianna Fail for approval for everything is embarrassing".
16. 17th May 2017 Enda Kenny Retires as party leader as a result of growing pressure in the McCabe scandal.
17. September 2017 The resignations of Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan following further disclosures in Garda corruption.
18. November 2017 An e-mail arises evidencing Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald’s prior knowledge of a smear campaign against Maurice McCabe, the e-mail dates to May 2015 and is in reference to the Garda Commissioner’s legal defence in the O’Higgins Commission. The legal defence sought to discredit McCabes integrity by raising allegations made by Garda X’s daughter. Fitzgerald says she does not remember the e-mail. Opposition TD’s call Fitzgerald’s bluff given the high profile of The O’Higgins Commission. The e-mail suggests that Fitzgerald must have been aware of the allegations and smear campaign or otherwise she would have enquired further on the ‘serious criminal complaint’ referenced in the mail. Opposition TD’s state that either Ms Fitzgerald is lying or incompetent but either way she needs to resign.

 
So this all brings me to my point, prior to the O’Higgins report being published in May 2016 everyone involved in this scandal was under serious pressure, the former Minister for Justice retired, the Garda Commissioner retired, and the Taoiseach was under serious pressure to keep his misfit government intact.

It was only a matter of time before everything would come out. By May 2016 the new Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald was so deep in the scandal that she too must have been worried about this house of cards collapsing. It’s questionable as Minister for Justice why she continued to support Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan and at the height of this controversy why Enda Kenny chose to make Francis Fitzgerald Tanaiste on 6th May 2016.

The only conclusion one can make is that Enda Kenny knew the end was coming and in the politics of old gave Francis Fitzgerald a golden handshake with a promotion to office of Tanaiste.

This has to be questioned by the Irish media, or by someone in the Dail, how does a Tainiste who may be forced into resignation walk away with a golden handshake, a Tanaiste’s pension of €31,435 per year.

How someone so embroiled in this scandal can walk away with an annual pension which far exceeds most people’s annual salary is dumbfounding. (Figure based on former Tanaiste Michael McDowell’s pension).

I’m not suggesting anyone in public service is undeserved of a pension but its disgraceful and unethical for a politician forced out of a job or if they’re not re-elected to claim a pension of such staggering proportions.

You might also be happy to know that Enda Kenny (66) is entitled to an annual Taoiseach’s pensions of €126,000 per year even though he was at the head of this controversy and forced to resign, and promise not to get sick now, but Bertie Ahern (66) and Brian Cowen (57) are claiming over €150,000 each in state pensions every year while Mary Harney (64) also comes close on €129,000 a year.

Politicians don’t even have to be at retirement age to draw a retirement pension. This is a serious flaw and needs to be amended somehow.

There is much more to come in this scandal. Fianna Fail cannot continue to support this government. We are close to an election. It’s clear that everyone close to the McCabe smear campaign has been tarnished by its brush.

Meanwhile the media have stood by and watched each of the culprits either vindicated or financially rewarded. That is the state of play in Irish politics and in the words of George Orwell; “A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims... but accomplices”. We must get smart about getting rid of these corrupt villains once and for all. 

(Picture by @turnercartoons)

This week the Taoiseach came under some serious sectarian fire for wearing a Poppy, a symbol of remembrance for fallen British soldiers of WW1, many of whom were Irish or of Irish descent.

The level of sectarian comments were outright disgraceful, the equivalent of being called a ‘nigger lover’ if he had worn a BlackLivesMatter badge.

On the eve of Brexit we have one of the greatest opportunities of a United Ireland, to carry out a border poll to solidify an opportunity for reunification as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement.

How do people react, with deep rooted and callous nationalism that shows how small minded and resentful we are as a Nation.

Now I’m not suggesting the Taoiseach wearing a poppy would swing hardened loyalists to vote for a United Ireland, but it would show that we’re open minded about diversity of culture and accepting of their beliefs, to the point that it may ease tensions and prevent actual conflict post polling results, should results favour unity.

The reaction to Leo wearing the poppy reminded me of the riots which ensued in Dublin City in 2006 following a planned Orange March, which nearly resulted in Charlie Bird getting killed, or hospitalized, or having to wear a band-aid or something.

This litmus test (Taoiseach wearing a poppy) shows how unready the Republic of Ireland is for reunification. It shows how much people identify with a Nationalist narrative which is more suited to a border remaining in place, if it were to fall I can’t imagine people coping with the idea that we would have to create a new constitution, select a less sectarian national anthem, or tolerate a DUP Fine Gael coalition which introduces Holy Water Charges.

I can’t imagine people calling for the next Orange March in Dublin to be rebranded as an all inclusive ReUnification Parade, I can’t imagine it because of people’s misguided hatred for a man born in Holland over 300 years ago. If we ever agreed to a United Ireland I’d be the first person in that ReUnification Parade pledging to call my first born son Billy and my second born son Billy Two (girls would be Margaret and Theresa).

It doesn’t help that Leo is deeply unpopular outside his own toilet cubicle but anyone who challenges his decision to wear a poppy is the opposite of patriotic, a true patriot would commend our Taoiseach for holding an olive branch on the eve of Robert Emmet’s Epitaph being read aloud on the streets of Derry, on the mouth of the river Shannon and on the Hill of Tara.

People’s reaction to the Taoiseach wearing the poppy is a reflection of the deep rooted casual sectarianism of the south, which people are actually oblivious to, they wouldn’t even consider themselves sectarian for their hate speech or abusive comments.

A United Ireland would see the DUP take between 10-20% of Dail seats yet people remain outraged that the Taoiseach should wear a symbol which shows tolerance and acceptance, a revolution of a free and open society with cross border values.

So well done to the boys of the poppy hate brigade who conducted attacks on Irish Unity in small columns of flying Twitterati, it’s heartbreaking to see how unprepared you are for a thirty two county Republic. 

​Will you look at who’s not a Fine Gael Councillor anymore!

In September I presented a post about Councillor Brian Murphy who represents the rise of the Alt-Right in Ireland and a growing voice within the Fine Gael party.

I wrote to Fine Gael to inquire when he would face disciplinary action for making Islamophobic comments as indicated by the Taoiseach, the party refused to answer my questions.

Members of the party wrote back to me promising answers but they were never forthcoming with dates, actions, or opinions on the matter. The party also failed to disclose what their social media policy is while on the same hand they have defended a new communications unit with a budget of €5,000,000 which in all likelihood will have no transparency.

Since then Fine Gael have very quietly suspended Brian Murphy from the party for a period of 12 months. I’d imagine that the hope is that he leaves by his own accord now. During this 12 month period, beginning 31st October 2017, Brian Murphy is not allowed represent Fine Gael at council level, at any of its committees, cannot describe himself as a Fine Gael councillor or make use of the Fine Gael logo/brand or any of its material.

In a way this throws down the gauntlet to Brian Murphy, how he reacts now will shape his own destiny, but it does very little to shape Fine Gael’s reputation or attitude towards racism, islamophobia, and corruption in this country.

Fine Gael have failed to condemn the attitudes of the alt right publicly, this cloaked disciplinary move which keeps the councillor in the party geography for the next election is a complete cop out, it shows a lack of back bone and party principle.

Fine Gael have also failed to comment on their social media policy and large elements of the party still follow the councillor on social media, the ambiguity of which means they lend him their support and legitimise his opinions, even though he has been outcast for being a complete bigot. Fine Gael fail to see the significance of legitimising a candidate by association of party and/or party members.

Now I will state it would be ludicrous to suggest that a party representative is restricted on who they follow on social media, following people of opposing views helps form well rounded opinion, but accounts which are key representatives of the party need to take social responsibility to distance themselves from elements that have been found to be harmful to the party, harmful to the country, and potentially harmful to democracy. For instance I’d be quite alarmed if the Taoiseach was following elements of the KKK and I’d question if that was representative of the electorate.  

The lack of a social media policy is in the shadow of the lack of social media legislation. To ensure we have fair elections we have an act which outlines what each candidate is permitted to spend in campaigning, for the record the most a candidate can spend is €45,200 in promoting themselves.  

The act is called the Electoral Act and it was passed in 1997, some 20 years ago and a decade before the advent of social media.

Our legislation to deal with how individual candidates promote themselves on social media (pre-election) and how representatives advertise themselves and promote their messages once elected is completely out of date. The legislation simply could not have envisaged this type of media because it’s unparallel to anything that existed in the 90’s. The government has failed to legislate further on the issue or produce an internal party document to provide guidance to how party members should conduct themselves on social media.

Brian Murphy has also gone quietly which is the biggest shame, he has shown a lack of courage on all fronts, if he showed some resistance to his suspension then we could have highlighted some serious issues with social media politics. Instead we have an unregulated area with no party policies in place to govern use of a very prominent format in election campaigns and distribution of information (and misinformation). 

It is also unclear whether Brian Murphy is still a Garth Brooks fan or not or how his music tastes will play on his future, maybe he'll learn to live again or rely on friends in low places, but for now he's standing outside the fire. 
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