Fine Gael official steps down over his abusive tweets
A SENIOR Fine Gael officeholder has resigned after admitting going ‘too far’ in a series of sexist and abusive tweets.
Barry Walsh had labelled a number of female political figures ‘bitches’ in tweets going back several years, while also describing First Lady Sabina Higgins, as a ‘vile woman’.
Mr Walsh also accused prochoice campaigner and comedienne Tara Flynn of killing her foetus because she ‘just couldn’t be bothered’ to raise a child.
Mr Walsh sits on Fine Gael’s executive council and served as the party’s director of elections in Richard Bruton’s constituency at the last election.
The abusive tweets were highlighted by Dublin Bay South Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell, who circulated copies of Mr Walsh’s tweets at a party meeting of TDs and senators on Wednesday night. Ms O’Connell and Ms Flynn made official complaints to party bosses.
The pressure increased on Mr Walsh yesterday when Leo Varadkar said his conduct was ‘below the standards’ of what was expected from Fine Gael officers. The Taoiseach said he believed Mr Walsh should step down while an investigation took place.
Mr Walsh tendered his resignation hours later in a letter to the chairman of the Fine Gael executive council, Gerry O’Connell. He said he was doing so to ‘bring an end to the “trial by media” which has occurred in the last 48 hours, and placed intolerable pressure on my family and friends’.
He wrote: ‘I deeply regret the tone and language I used in some of my tweets. I realise that some of my remarks have caused serious offence to many people and I apologise unreservedly for that.
‘I first got involved in politics because on many I issues have passionate and have always views enjoyed robust political debate. However, I accept that with many of these tweets I took the political jousting a step too far.’
Yesterday evening, Mr Varadkar said he had only been made aware of Mr Walsh’s abusive tweets this week. ‘I’ve seen, obviously, what’s been published and the number of tweets going back over a period of two years.
‘The first time the party received a complaint was in the last 72 hours, I think,’ he said at the European Council meeting in Sweden.
‘I think it’s fair to say that we’ve acted swiftly. Other parties, and maybe they would be right to do it, would have waited for due process, disciplinary procedure, all the rest of it.
‘But having seen the evidence just on Wednesday night, I took the view [it] was enough to merit my requesting his resignation, even before we completed our normal disciplinary procedure.’ He rejected any suggestion that he should been aware that a member of his national executive was posting abusive tweets. ‘I’ll be brutally honest with you, there are 70 Fine Gael TDs and senators, 300 councillors and Barry isn’t one of them. ‘I’m not in a position to personally monitor the tweets of hundreds of people... you’re talking about somebody who isn’t even an elected rep. I’m just not in a position to do that. I don’t think anyone is.’
It is understood the two complaints will now go forward to the next Fine Gael executive council meeting later this month.
It is expected the issue will be forwarded to the disciplinary committee which will decide if it should hold a hearing.
It has the power to issue a sanction, although an appeal can also be taken. Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone, who was among the first to criticise Mr Walsh’s actions, last night said she welcomed his decision to step down. ‘Politicians can’t legislate for it: it doesn’t make sense to legislate. But as a society, especially online... we really need to start to treat each other with a bit of common courtesy and respect.’ She defended Kate O’Connell’s decision to complain about his actions, adding it was a discussion that ‘needed to be had’. ‘Kate shouldn’t have to defend her actions. Talk of Kate having damaged Barry Walsh’s career doesn’t make sense. ‘He is the only one who has done that.’ Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, whom Mr Walsh described in a post as an ‘oily p **** ’, wants to see social media sites doing more to regulate their platforms.
‘Below standards of what is expected’ ‘Treat each other with courtesy’