FG ‘taking claims of sexism very seriously’
THE Taoiseach says he is taking “seriously” a complaint of bullying and sexism made by Senator Catherine Noone against a fellow Fine Gael senator.
Speaking in Brussels, Leo Varadkar confirmed a formal investigation has been launched by the party.
“Senator Noone has made a complaint against another senator in terms of the way he has spoken to her and that complaint is being taken very seriously,” Mr Varadkar said.
The matter “will be investigated by the party, and that will be done swiftly”.
He said “any necessary action will then be taken on foot of” the investigation. It’s understood the outcome of the probe will be known within a week.
However, the senator at the centre of the controversy has told the Irish Independent he was not aware of any complaint against him. Ms Noone said the person in question repeatedly speaks down to her, dismisses her views and treats her in a misogynistic way. Sources said her issues with the senator “go back years” but have intensified recently.
Ms Noone is understood to have claimed some derogatory comments have been directed towards her as a result of her work on the Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment.
She was the chairperson of the committee which proposed allowing unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. The breakdown in relations peaked at a meeting of Fine Gael senators last week.
It’s understood Ms Noone was speaking when the other senator loudly cut across her and refused to let her back in.
A Fine Gael spokesperson confirmed parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon has written to general secretary Tom Curran “regarding an internal matter within the party”.