‘Fake news’: Leo’s dig at critics of spin unit

It’s just civil service, says ‘mythbusting’ Taoiseach

THE Taoiseach has branded criticism of the controversial Government spin unit ‘fake news’, as Fianna Fáil rallied behind Sinn Féin’s motion to have it disbanded.

Speaking yesterday in Berlin, Leo Varadkar hit out at the critics – saying that the Strategic Communications Unit was not ‘some sort of political unit staffed by civil servants’.

‘I think the Opposition have been very successful in their spin, in their fake news in trying to make out that what is a civil service unit is some sort of political unit – it’s not,’ Mr Varadkar said.

‘And as I say, the matter is under review.’

Pressure is mounting on the Taoiseach following reports that the SCU is operating within department and Government decision-making, something Mr Varadkar denied yesterday.

Reports surfaced this week that the SCU has in recent times written a parliamentary response for former tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald, trained civil servants, taken part in senior internal department meetings and overseen a national event in the Taoiseach’s own constituency.

‘I think again, there’s a misunderstanding there: this is not a political unit,’ Mr Varadkar responded yesterday.

‘This is the Strategic Communications Unit.

‘It is part of the civil service and civil servants answer parliamentary questions pertaining to their function.’

The Taoiseach yesterday flew home from Berlin, where he met with German chancellor Angela Merkel, to contribute to the debate on the SCU in the Dáil.

Back home, he told deputies the unit doesn’t decide ‘what I wear’.

Taking the opportunity to ‘bust some myths’, Mr Varadkar also told the debate that the SCU does not influence his social media accounts, and has minimal input into his speeches and preparation for interviews.

The Taoiseach also defended his communication methods.

‘My communications style is different – it’s more direct, more personal, more present, and more modern,’ Mr Varadkar said. ‘Some people don’t like it – I accept that.

‘Other people do like it and I accept that too.

‘Some would prefer a more traditional model – either way it is who I am, and it isn’t going to change, SCU or no SCU.’

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty, however, described the SCU as a ‘disgusting abuse of power’ by the Government and a ‘blatant misuse of tax payers’ money’.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin backed Sinn Féin’s call for the SCU to be disbanded, describing the Government as having an ‘obsession with trying to manage the media’.

Labelling the establishment of the SCU as the ‘personal project of the Taoiseach’, Mr Martin said that Fine Gael was ‘the most arrogant Government in decades when it comes to attacking the right of others to question its actions’.

A Government spokeswoman

‘It doesn’t decide what I wear’ FF and SF want unit disbanded

confirmed to the Irish Daily Mail that a review of the SCU was under way and would be completed by Easter.

She added that the Government’s view was that Sinn Féin’s motion was politically opportunistic and entirely premature, given that the review was yet to be completed.

‘It certainly didn’t come as a surprise that Fianna Fáil rowed in behind Sinn Fein on this,’ the spokeswoman said.