Varadkar asked to investigate motion against former TD

• Published date: 15 April 2024
• Author: JUSTINE McCARTHY
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

A Fine Gael TD and party vice-president told then party leader Leo Varadkar the circumstances surrounding a motion of no-confidence in former Waterford deputy John Deasy five years ago should be investigated and, subject to the findings, the organisation should apologise to him, his staff and supporters

John Paul Phelan, a TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and a member of Fine Gael’s executive council, wrote to Mr Varadkar and John Carroll, party secretary general, last October describing the successful motion against Mr Deasy in June 2019 as “entirely irregular”. Mr Phelan said “approximately 20 to 25 emails and letters” alleging “bullying and intimidation” in Waterford that were sent to Mr Varadkar, Mr Carroll and Simon Coveney, when he was the deputy leader, had gone unanswered.

“The idea that a cabal of disgruntled members can undermine an elected reps (sic) entire career and also bring reams of unfavourable local media coverage down on the party is unacceptable and frankly wildly outside the existing rules of the party,” noted Mr Phelan in the letter dated October 10th, 2023. A former junior minister at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, he said the next ardfheis needed to amend party rules governing motions of no-confidence in TDs, senators, MEPs and local councillors.

Objections

The motion of no-confidence in Mr Deasy, who was a sitting TD and the government’s envoy to the US Congress at the time, was proposed by Eoin Coffey, a brother of then senator Paudie Coffey, at a meeting in Dungarvan in June 2019. There was no advance notice of the motion and some members complained that their objections to it were “shouted down”. Mr Deasy, who had informed Mr Varadkar the previous March that he would not be contesting the next general election in 2020, was not present.

After the motion of no confidence in him was passed, Mr Deasy made a complaint of bullying to Fine Gael headquarters. In September 2019, then secretary general Tom Curran told a meeting in Dungarvan the allegations had been investigated and no evidence was found to support them.

Seven members whose claims in writing were not responded to...