SENATOR: I DID NOT BULLY THAT WOMAN
It’s a disgrace, he fumes. And NO ONE in Fine Gael has spoken to me about alleged behaviour that left Senator Noone in tears
THE male senator at the centre of an internal Fine Gael dispute said nobody in the party spoke to him about allegations against him, which he describes as ‘crap’.
Senator Catherine Noone made allegations regarding the conduct of the older male senator towards her over a period of seven years.
After the most recent incident at a Fine Gael senators’ meeting on Tuesday, Ms Noone was seen weeping in the Leinster House self-service restaurant.
She was comforted by female members of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s staff.
Later on Tuesday, it is understood that Ms Noone reported her concerns to Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon when she met him in the Leinster House private members’ bar.
The allegations became public after a
discussion at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday on how to encourage women to become involved in politics.
Ms Noone spontaneously brought up her disturbing experiences, again breaking down. ‘The tears came down her face and onto her dress,’ said one eye-witness.
On Thursday, Ms Noone spoke to Mr Varadkar about the matter and was informed that the party would begin an investigation tomorrow [Monday] that is expected to be completed by Friday. Party sources said this would be conducted by general secretary Tom Curran.
But despite all this activity, the accused senator told the MoS this weekend that no representative of the party had spoken to him about the allegations.
When the MoS informed him of the party’s decision to investigate the complaints and that a report had been submitted on the incidents, he said: ‘Is there? Oh Jesus. I didn’t hear a word about that. F***, nobody has said anything to me.’ He added: ‘She hasn’t spoken to me. Christ almighty, that’s the first I heard of that.
The senator said that he would
‘Tears came down her face and onto her dress’
not be able to comment on the matters. ‘I can’t and I’ll tell you why – she has said nothing to me. I don’t know what’s she’s said. I don’t know who she’s named. Martin Heydon, nobody has got on to me from the party. Nobody spoke to me. That is f***ing disgraceful.’
When he was informed by the MoS of the exact nature of the complaints made against him he replied; ‘That’s total bull **** . This is an awful load of crap. Bloody hell, Jesus, oh my God… Jesus.’
‘I won’t be changing my mind unless the party gets in touch with me to tell me something, I won’t be doing anything.’
Mr Varadkar, who was involved in an Operation Transformation fun run and attending events for the Chinese New Year, refused yesterday to explain why nobody had contacted the male senator.
‘He can speak for himself but I’m really delighted to be here in the CHQ for Chinese New Year,’ he said, as his media handlers scrambled in vain to prevent the questioning. Asked again if the accused senator had been contacted by end of business yesterday, a spokesman said: ‘No comment’.
Ms Noone was first elected to the Seanad in 2011. She was Mr Varadkar’s running mate on the Fine Gael ticket in Dublin West in the 2016 general election. She failed to win a seat and there was a perception among her election team that sufficient support was not received from Mr Varadkar. Ms Noone was subsequently elected to the Seanad again, with an impressive vote. It is understood that she is happy with the speed and efficiency with which the party has dealt with her allegations. She has cited incidents that occurred inside and outside the Oireachtas as far back as 2011, and the inquiry will examine a number of incidents from the past year and a half.
It is said that she has strongly objected to being ‘shouted down’ by the male colleague. Ms Noone – who chaired the Oireachtas committee examining the Eighth Amendment – also said that incidents intensified since the Repeal campaign began. She is seen as pro-choice and the man accused of involvement in the incidents is seen as pro-life. Ms Noone has also objected to being called the ‘Noone wan’. A number of examples of the male senator’s conduct have been cited, including his behaviour during a recent debate on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill in the Seanad.
She was also upset over an incident at a meeting of the Seanad Committee on Privileges and Procedures 18 months ago, attended by senior senators. It is understood that she also cited an incident at a meeting of Fine Gael senators in Leinster House on Tuesday, attended by a county councillor from Kerry.
She told Fine Gael bosses that two male Fine Gael male senators were sympathetic to her after the meeting. She eventually told her colleague Gabrielle McFadden that there was only ‘so much of this I can take’. Later she was seen crying in the self-service restaurant and was comforted by colleagues.
Because this matter involves parliamentary party members it will be dealt with by the general secretary. In a statement on Thursday, Fine Gael said it is dealing with the claims as an internal issue.
‘Due process will be followed and the matter will be dealt with swiftly. Fine Gael expects party colleagues to treat all with the utmost respect, professionalism and dignity at all times. Any internal party matters are dealt with in the strictest of confidence and Fine Gael will not be making any further comment.’
‘These allegations are an awful load of crap’
FINE GAEL has been critical of Sinn Féin’s tardiness in investigating bullying claims. When Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone told colleagues this week of unwanted attention from an older FG senator, the party promised to investigate.
When the Irish Mail on Sunday contacted the accused senator this week, he said it was the first he heard of it and that the party general secretary appointed to investigate had not been in contact.
If Fine Gael really regrets inactivity elsewhere, it must be seen to act more quickly than appears to be the case here.