Hundreds of thousands of euros.
5 years on
“The Taoiseach will work in line with the SIPO rules and regulations and will comply with them.” – Minister Helen McEntee when asked whether Leo Varadkar should release the unredacted version of his correspondence with SIPO, as covered by The Ditch. Question by Ben Scallan.
It is to the states’ shame that the Ditch had to go fighting for this information, and to the Ditch’s very great credit that they went and fought for it.
For the moment, Ireland’s political funding laws accomplish almost nothing useful for members of the public actually interested in how their representatives fund campaigns
Those people who roll their eyes and see an establishment that enforces rules and regulations selectively against its enemies are not imagining things.
It all looks very, very weird.
“The complaint was not of sufficient gravity to warrant investigation.”
Having financial interests – once they are disclosed – is not corruption. But it is also not irrelevant.
Forgive me for saying this, but personally, I’d rather live in a country with a small bit of corruption, and competently delivered public services, rather than the other way around.
Say what you want about the Minister for Public Expenditure, but Liam Lawlor or Ray Burke, he ain’t.
“Will you commit to resigning?” Minister Donohoe pressed