Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael clash over Champagne-gate investigation

Officials were photographed in the department celebrating Ireland’s election onto the UN Security Council, and the image was posted on Twitter by the then secretary general Niall Burgess.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ministers have clashed over whether an internal investigation into the 2020 Champagne-gate party at the Department of Foreign Affairs is appropriate.

An inquiry headed up by the current Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs Joe Hackett into the event has been ordered by Minister Simon Coveney, but government ministers and TDs have raised concern about its independence.

Minister of State Anne Rabbitte this weekend called for an external investigation into the “champagne party” held by staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs on the night Ireland secured a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

“Having a champagne reception in any government department at that time — I know over in the Department of Health where they worked tirelessly for 23, 24 hours a day, it was far from champagne they were having,” she said.

Ms Rabbitte said an internal report conducted by the department’s current secretary general is not a satisfactory way to handle the matter.

Minister of State Anne Rabbitte this weekend called for an external investigation into the “champagne party” Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

“It’s still within the same department, and we know the answer we will get. I would be one for openness and transparency ... it has to be [an external report].” 

She added that all departments need to learn from the mistake.

Officials were photographed in the department celebrating Ireland’s election onto the UN Security Council, and the image was posted on Twitter by the then secretary general Niall Burgess. The tweet was later deleted. 

At the time of the event, there were strict restrictions on the size of gatherings due to Covid-19.

However, on Sunday, Fine Gael junior minister, Patrick O’Donovan, said he does have confidence in the process as outlined by Mr Coveney.

“I do to be honest about it, because the Secretary General is the accounting officer for the Department. He is always answerable to the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs, and he's a new Secretary General. He wasn't at the event,” he said.

And so he is somebody that is, I believe, way capable of carrying out investigation here and I believe that investigation will be carried out in a short period of time and will be reported upon shortly after that.

He said: “The investigation, which is currently underway, which I don't believe it's going to take that long, should be allowed the opportunity to be concluded, be reported, and let's see what's in it before people draw conclusions.” 

Meanwhile, deputy government chief whip and Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin is critical of the Government's handling of and response to the party and described the gathering as “two fingers to the people”.

He said the situation hasn't been handled well and what happened in the Department was “completely wrong” in his opinion.

“I remember June 2020 was a very bleak time. We’ve seen across the political spectrum a number of different events and circumstances where the rules have been completely flaunted and it really is sickening for people to see that," he said.

"It really is so disheartening for people who are trying very hard. People can be excused for inadvertently breaking the rules or making a mistake that they didn’t realise was a mistake but where there is effectively two fingers to the rules that’s a two fingers to the people as well, as far as I see it.”