'Breathtaking arrogance' by Government to appoint ex-FF senator to Sipo

Taoiseach Micheál Martin strongly defended the selection of Geraldine Feeney to the commission.

The Government has been accused of "breathtaking arrogance" in appointing a former Fianna Fáil senator and lobbyist to the Standard in Public Office Commission (Sipo).

The decision to select Geraldine Feeney to the board of Sipo was described in the Dáil as "bizarre, incredible and not on".

Taoiseach Micheál Martin strongly defended the selection of Ms Feeney to the commission after he was pressed on the issue by opposition TDs.

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty accused the Government of trying to "push" through a motion to appoint Ms Feeney without any debate in the Dáil.

Describing it as an "unprecedented situation", Mr Doherty said the Government believe that "we should actually appoint not only a former member, but a paid lobbyist, somebody who was registered as a lobbyist up until a couple of weeks ago".

Former Fianna Fáil senator and lobbyist for the NAGP Geraldine Feeney. Picture: GMC Photography

He said: "I pointed out that the government's appointee to this commission was a professional paid lobbyist, on behalf of the NAGP a group, which we know that the Tánaiste provided confidential documents to its president, who was at that time his friend."

He added: "It is absolutely breathtaking the arrogance that Government have."

Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry also hit out at the appointment and said the Government are "trying to artfully dodge a number of key debates here".

He said it was "bizarre, incredible and not on" that Ms Feeney, a former NAGP lobbyist, would join Sipo at a time when the commission has been tasked with adjudicating on the recent controversy surrounding documents that Leo Varadkar leaked to the former head of the NAGP.

"It is absolutely breathtaking the arrogance of this government," says @PearseDoherty.

Why are they so afraid of a debate in the Dáil to discuss the appointment of a former NAGP lobbyist to the board of SIPO? #Dáil pic.twitter.com/eRlHbjlUFw

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) November 17, 2020

While Micheál Martin acknowledged the fact that there has been some controversy surrounding the NAGP, he said the nomination is "being made in line with the requirements of the legislation".

He said Ms Feeney, who served in the Seanad between 2002 and 2011, would bring "experience and skills which will benefit the operation of the commission".

"She is eligible. She has experience as a public representative. I think people who served in the Seanad would accept her fairness and integrity and her experience of regulatory affairs which I believe will be an asset to the commission," Mr Martin said.

"I regret some of the comments that have been made in respect of the former senator. They are not merited.

People are not debarred from serving on a commission of that kind just because of one particular issue at one particular time.

Meanwhile a Labour party motion on working from home and the right to "switch off" is to be debated in the Dáil on Wednesday.

"We all know that all our working environments have completely changed no matter what sector you work in. So many more people are working from home," Labour leader Alan Kelly said.

The legislation would ensure that employers facilitate people to work from home, but must also give them the right to switch off from their work.

"Covid has been a disrupter, our work has changed and we need to reflect that," said Mr Kelly.