Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Last Nights #RTEinvestigates

Last night’s RTÉ investigates programme carried out unprecedented research into the declared interests. They discovered undeclared assets, areas of conflict of interests and found that a number of councillors were prepared to use their position for personal gain.

The programme sent a reporter undercover, claiming to be from a fictitious wind farm company. The reporter ‘Nina’ sought investment from councillors in secret and undeclared meetings. Nina sought help for planning.

Three councillors were discovered to be in favour of lobbying for the wind farm in return for personal gain. Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Queenan was one of the councillors in question and has resigned his Sligo-based position following the revelations.

In a statement released by the party, they stated: “instances where there appears to be clear breaches of the law need to be fully investigated by the gardaí and prosecutions brought where appropriate”.

It continued: “Separately, in respect of any allegations that were made against current members of Fianna Fáil, the Party will immediately commence an internal inquiry under the auspices of the Ard Chomhairle to establish the full facts in each instance and will take action as appropriate.

“Fianna Fáil expects the highest standards from its public representatives. There is absolutely no tolerance within the party for any breaches of such standards”.

Four-time mayor of Monaghan, Hugh McElvaney, was also willing to lobby on behalf of the wind farm he asked the reporter. The ex-Fine Gael councillor is heard asking Nina if she would be visiting Ireland soon and asked “you will have plenty of sterling with you?” [sic].

McElvaney has claimed that he knew the programme was a setup and played along to make it “sexy”.

According to The Examiner, he commented: “I knew it was RTÉ, they’ve trapped me before, and I knew that there was somebody acting the fool with me.

“So I lured them into their own trap, there’s no problem. It puts Mike Murphy and PJ Gallagher into the shade”.

Donegal councillor John O’Donnell was the third councillor willing to lobby for financial gain. In the programme, he suggested a third party receive payment and that at a later date he would be welcomed into the company.

In a statement released to the Donegal News on O’Donnell’s behalf, the councillor stated:

“I take grave exception to the clear effort of RTÉ to mislead me into engaging in behaviour that they describe as being potentially ‘inconsistent with proper performance’ of my ‘functions’ as ‘a county councillor of Donegal County Council’, and with the consequential wasting of my time, when I attended for what I assumed would be a serious business meeting on 5th November, 2015 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Letterkenny, and one that I had every reason to believe could potentially be of significant benefit for the county, of which I have been very proud, as a Donegal man, to represent since my election as an independent local councillor in May 2014”.

The program investigated every single politician in the country and also unearthed evidence that seven TDs and Senators also failed to disclose properties or businesses that should have been included in their register of interests.

A full list of comments by affected councillors has been compiled by RTÉ and can be found HERE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFEHt_gOcwo