Tánaiste's partner says London festival picture 'violation' of Varadkar's privacy

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and his partner Matthew Barrett. File Picture: Dan Linehan

Leo Varadkar's partner Matt Barrett has criticised the photographing of the Tánaiste at a London music festival, saying it shows some people will “celebrate” the violation of another's privacy.

Mr Varadkar was criticised online after a picture of him, taken unbeknownst to him, at the Mighty Hoopla festival in London was widely circulated on social media last Saturday.

The picture was taken just days after the Tánaiste himself attended a meeting with members of the live entertainment and music industry in Ireland who had pushed for similar events to be allowed to take place here.

At that meeting, Mr Varadkar said Britain was "not an example to follow" when it came to reopening.

Mr Varadkar was criticised for attending the London event by many in the entertainment industry who pointed out that this was the same weekend the cancelled Electric Picnic would have taken place.

In a letter published in The Irish Times on Saturday, Mr Barrett said: “The notion that the right to privacy is one which is conditional on the attitudes, sensibilities, and prejudices of another” is “both ridiculous and dangerous”.

Mr Barrett wrote: “The individual who photographed the Tánaiste does not have a right to violate this [right to privacy] merely because she believed it was justified and consistent with her own beliefs about what constitutes appropriate behaviour.”

"I find it particularly telling that she deliberately chose a particularly unedifying picture, with the sole aim of humiliation. 

If people continue to dress up cyberbullying as some sort of perverse public service, how can we hope to attract young people, women, and minorities into public office?

"This episode demonstrates that not only are privacy and dignity not expected, but that people will celebrate their violation," Mr Barrett wrote.

Last week, the Taoiseach said Mr Varadkar is “entitled” to his private time and what he chooses to do with it "is a matter for him."

The Hoople festival saw 25,000 people attend Brockwell Park in London, all with proof of vaccination or negative PCR test.