McEntee: Politicians must 'remain vigilant' to approaches from foreign governments

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said she had never been approached by any Russian agents, but said all politicians should remain alert to approaches. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photo

TDs and senators must "remain vigilant" to approaches from foreign governments, the Justice Minister has said.

Helen McEntee was speaking in light of a report a member of the Oireachtas was a Russian agent, having been ensnared in a "honeypot" trap. The report did not identify any member of the Oireachtas but has led to a demand by Aontú TD Peadar Tóibín for an audit of TDs.

Ms McEntee said she had never been approached by any Russian agents, but said all politicians should remain alert to approaches.

"I think as a country and as elected representatives, we all need to remain vigilant.

We're not immune to these kinds of threats. No matter how small a country we are or any feeling that we're on the periphery, we're not, and so we need to make sure that we're all vigilant.

"Of course, my role is to make sure that gardaí, intelligence services have the resources, anything that they need to be able to counter this type of threat."

Mr Tóibín said in 2017 he was approached by a consultancy firm "offering a me a trip to Russia, stays in five-star hotels and a meeting with Vladimir Putin".

"This struck me as very strange and a little incredible. Given the anti-democratic nature of the Putin regime I indicated that I was not interested in it. Politically I believe that there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Politicians are there to serve their citizens and not be in the pocket of others. Jollies such as this represent a threat of undue influence. The political system in Ireland has been replete with influence or control by others, usually with a cheque book. 

"That that influence would be sought in this manner from outside the country is obviously of serious concern. I passed the request to the international department of my previous party and told them I was not interested in attending”.

“Given the report there is possibly a spy within the members of the Oireachtas, I think it’s important that political parties and independents indicate if their members have engaged in such trips before or have left themselves exposed to undue influence through their actions."

Former Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the allegations are very serious and we will have to wait and see how the claims can be verified.

"It is very hard to know how that person could be identified. That is something that would benefit the rest of us so that the suspicion doesn't go on the entire Oireachtas," said Mr Ryan.

Until it is revealed who who the individual is, we have to be very careful, he said.

Mr Ryan said he had heard no rumours of such things and the first he heard of the matter was through the media.

"There has been no instances on my part or any evidence or any recollection of any contact with the Russian government," he said.