A former Fine Gael Justice Minister has claimed that in late 2023, he told then-Education Minister Norma Foley about a number of controversial children’s books, including “What’s the T?” – directly contradicting the Minister’s claim that she had no prior knowledge of the book or its explicit contents until it was raised by Gript at a press conference this week.
In a viral exchange on Wednesday, Gript asked Foley – who is now the Minister for Children – whether she thought it was appropriate for the book to be recommended to underage teens despite its sexually explicit content.
“What’s the T?”, which was authored by transgender individual Juno Dawson, was recently featured in a 2026 Pride-themed children’s reading list compiled by Children’s Books Ireland, who listed it as appropriate for minors as young as 15.
This has drawn scrutiny and criticism over the fact the book features graphic content, including instructions on how to participate in anal sex (which it describes as “sexyfuntime”) using lubricant and cleaning out one’s rectum; descriptions of foot fetishes; the use of sex toys like dildos and vibrators; and more.
Notably, this book list was promoted in an RTÉ News article on Monday, and Children’s Books Ireland itself is a State-funded NGO in receipt of taxpayer money via the Arts Council.
Significantly, RTÉ has since removed the link to the book list over what they described as “age appropriateness matters”.
RTÉ remove Pride book link over “age appropriateness” concerns
Asked if she thought the book list’s recommendation to children was appropriate, Minister Foley denied having any prior knowledge of the Juno Dawson book – despite the fact that Gript had emailed both her personal office and the Department Press Office hours ahead of time to explicitly inform them that a question about this exact book would be asked.
However, in an exclusive statement issued to Gript, former Fine Gael TD and ex-senior cabinet minister Charlie Flanagan now says he had privately raised concerns about that particular book with Minister Foley years ago, along with other controversial texts.
“Norma Foley can’t say she doesn’t know about fisting and rimming and more in school books,” said Flanagan, who retired from politics in 2024.
“She does, because I told her personally.”
He claimed that he had spoken to the Minister privately in the run up to the Christmas break in December 2023.
“She laughed in my face,” he said.
“I asked her to get the books over Christmas, read them, and come back and tell me she’s OK with content. After a period of about 6 weeks I met her again and asked her had she seen the books and did she approve. She laughed loudly and ran off.”
He added: “I even named the books for her.”
Asked by Gript if one of those books was “What’s the T?” by Juno Dawson, showing him a picture of the book’s cover, Flanagan said it was.
He also said that he was “completely taken aback at the Minister’s reaction” at the time and “shocked” at what he called a “complete absence of respect”, and that mothers in his constituency had raised what he felt were “reasonable concerns” about such books.
Gript put Flanagan’s claims to Foley’s office and the Department offering a right to reply, though no formal response was received.
The news comes after this morning, Gript exclusively revealed that a teacher in 2023 had written to Foley to warn her of the contents of that specific book, in an email that included pictures of pages featuring content that the sender described as “totally unsuitable for children”.
Foley was emailed about controversial book as far back as 2023
Asked about the matter this morning, a Department spokesperson simply re-iterated Foley’s earlier position that she had no prior knowledge of the book.
In Wednesday’s now-viral exchange, which has since accrued over a million views across social media platforms, Foley also refused to condemn the book outright or describe it as unsuitable for minors, simply repeating that parents should have input into the content their children consume.
Aontú leader Peadar Toibín TD has since called for Children’s Books Ireland to be hauled before an Oireachtas Committee to explain the book’s inclusion in their list.