Labour submits complaint claiming Damien English provided false information on planning application

Tthe Labour Party said it submitted the complaint to the Oireachtas Committee on Members’ Interest under Section 8(4) of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995.

The Labour Party has said it has submitted a complaint to the Oireachtas as it believes former Fine Gael junior minister Damien English provided false information on a planning application.

Mr English resigned last month after it emerged he failed to properly declare his property interests when seeking planning permission for his family home.

In a statement provided to the Irish Examiner, the Labour Party said it submitted the complaint to the Oireachtas Committee on Members’ Interest under Section 8(4) of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995.

It said it do so “as it believes former Minister Damien English may have committed a specified act under Section 4 of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 by providing false information on a planning application.” 

Mr English did not disclose that he already owned a property at Castlemartin in a planning application to Meath County Council for a one-off rural home in 2008.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has repeatedly sought answers in the Dáil about Mr English’s circumstance and Opposition TDs have been calling on him to make a statement in the House about the circumstances of his resignation.

Mr English’s party leader, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, has rebuffed such calls insisting he has already paid a high price by having to resign.

Mr English resigned after questions were raised about his planning application from 14 years ago.

“I reviewed this application, made in 2008, and it is clear to me that I failed to inform Meath County Council (MCC) about ownership of my house in Castlemartin. This was wrong, not up to the standard required and I apologise for doing so,” he said.

He thanked the people of Meath West for their “ongoing support” as their TD and said he will “continue to serve them and work hard on their behalf in the constituency”.

He also thanked the Taoiseach and parliamentary colleagues “for their support during my time as Minister of State”.

Mr English said: “I would like to recognise the support and sacrifice of Laura and my family at all times.” 

Mr English said he had no comment to make. A Fine Gael spokesman said the party also has no comment to make in relation to the complaint by the Labour Party.