Complaint to force probe against Fahey

AN official complaint over the conduct of junior minister Frank Fahey will be lodged with the Standards in Public Office Commission this week, Green leader Trevor Sargent confirmed last night.

Mr Sargent has used Oireachtas privilege to launch a series of attacks on the Fianna Fáil minister, including branding him a “dodgy builder”.

The ethics body will be obliged to launch an investigation on foot of the complaint, which is thought to be the first such complaint against a serving minister from a TD.

Mr Sargent has also used Dáil time to accuse the junior Justice Minister of “being able to avoid tax in building up a multi-million euro property empire” and “failing to declare interests in a Moscow hairdressing business”.

Mr Sargent said his party’s complaint would cover a number of issues, including the Lost at Sea scheme, initiated by Mr Fahey when he was marine minister.

The scheme compensated fishermen, in the form of tonnage quota, whose boats were lost at sea. However, two of Mr Fahey’s constituents received three quarters of the compensation.

The Ombudsman is carrying out an investigation into the Lost at Sea scheme and findings are expected in the New Year.

The Greens’ complaint is expected to cover other areas, including orders issued on the Corrib gas project, and Mr Fahey’s alleged failure to reveal some of his business interests in the statutory Register of Members Interests compiled every year.