DRONES IN ATHLONE ...BUT SILENCE ON FLYING TRIP TO AUSTRALIA

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher uploads a photo of himself and his wife Ann Gillespie in business class as they fly to Australia. The image is soon deleted after he receives complaints over wasting taxpayers’ money. He tells one Facebook commentator he is flying business, and there is no first class on this flight.

When contacted by the Irish Mail on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Oireachtas refuses to release the itinerary of the 10-day trip.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24

In response to a query from the MoS, Pat ‘The Cope’ resends much of the original response from the Oireachtas about the bilateral visit. Regarding the itinerary of the trip, he later states he only has a hard copy,

A few hours later, he issues an unrelated press release to the media.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25

Senator Gabrielle McFadden’s Facebook page is updated throughout the day, but there is no mention of her being in Australia. Instead, a video is posted of her speaking in the Seanad earlier in the week, highlighting the dangers of using drones around Athlone Town.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26

More Facebook videos on Senator McFadden’s page. They relate to Athlone, including one featuring a photo of her and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy, stating they are ‘working to deliver special status for Athlone’. Another sees her speaking from an office, without reference to where she is.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27

Fianna Fáil deputy Anne Rabbitte’s Twitter and Instagram pages are updated regarding community employment schemes. An instastory – or a video which disappears after 24 hours – is posted on Instagram of a talk on Lyme disease by Jenna Luche-Thayer. Nowhere is it stated that Ms Rabbitte did not shoot the video.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28

At 10pm, the MoS contacts the Australian Parliament in Canberra, given the 11-hour time difference, seeking to locate the Irish party. They are staying in the five-star Sir Stamford hotel near Sydney Harbour. Deputy

Rabbitte’s Instagram is updated with another temporary video of a talk in Leinster House on Gaeltacht areas. Another video shows a hand holding a brochure on World Aids Day. It is impossible to tell whose hand it is. Another Instagram post of most of the party leaders availing of HIV testing has the location tagged as Leinster House. Followers are not told that Deputy Rabbitte is actually in Australia herself.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29

A picture is posted of Deputy Rabbitte on Instagram and Twitter, under a ‘Welcome to Portumna’ sign, highlighting OPW funding. On Twitter, she discloses a meeting with young people on learning how Ireland can help break the cycle of poverty in other countries, but doesn’t say where the meeting is held. The post is tagged as being in Galway. Images of Pat ‘The Cope’ Down Under emerge on the Twitter page of the Irish Consulate in Sydney. The first shows him taking the seat of his NSW counterpart, the Hon Thomas George MP.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30

The Irish Consulate in Sydney posts photos on Twitter of Pat ‘The Cope’ laying a wreath at the Australian Memorial to the Irish Famine. The delegation also attends a showcase of specialist machinery from a Monaghan company which are shipped to global markets. The MoS asks the Department of Foreign Affairs for the itinerary, highlighting the openness of the Irish Consulate in Sydney in recent days.

The DFA refers the matter back to the Oireachtas Inter-parliamentary Relations Unit. No response is received.

The MoS sends queries to Deputy Rabbitte and Senator McFadden on whether they believe they are portraying a false impression to their constituents via social media that they are actually working at home, as none of their posts feature Australia.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1

Overnight, Deputy Rabbitte uploads a video of her in Sydney, sending her best wishes to the opening of a new hardware store in Portumna.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary assistant for Deputy Rabbitte tells the MoS that her social media accounts are managed by both herself and her staff.

‘Due to a constant busy schedule it is not always possible for the deputy to attend all meetings/briefings/event which in turn she will send a representative where possible, this will always be her parliamentary assistant or secretarial assistant,’ said a spokesperson.

She confirms the delegation are due to return home this afternoon. She also says that Deputy Rabbitte’s constituents were informed prior to her heading to Australia, and a full report will be sent to local media on her return.

We ask her to forward the itinerary. We have not received a response.