Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly is facing questions this morning about her attempts to employ a woman in the Oireachtas with a conviction for firearms offences in the Special Criminal Court.
The Journal published a detailed story last night about the woman’s background and the firearms offences, and said Connolly tried to hire her in 2018 but the move was blocked by counter-terrorism gardaí over security concerns. The woman was on early release at the time after serving four years of a six-year sentence imposed after a 2014 trial. The offences were linked to dissident republican activity.
Ms Connolly’s campaign has declined to reply to repeated questions, though it has published a number of statements on other issues since the story was published last night.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the matter is “very serious” and Ms Connolly needs to clarify the circumstances around her attempts to employ the woman.
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The details reported in the media would “indicate a very serious lack of judgement” on the part of the left-wing candidate, the Fianna Fáil leader said.
“I think Catherine Connolly needs to clarify that in its entirety and be fully transparent in respect of it,” he said.
This morning, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said the worker was “highly qualified and came through the process”. He added that he expected Ms Connolly would answer questions on the issue this morning.
Last night, the Social Democrats said: “It is appropriate that there are rigorous vetting procedures for Oireachtas staff and it’s not surprising this application was turned down at the time.”
The party added that the woman concerned had “turned her life around and recently appeared as an expert before an Oireachtas committee.”
People Before Profit declined to comment, but it is understood the party does not see the story as being a major issue.
Labour did not respond to questions though some party sources are understood to be alarmed by the reports.
Fianna Fáil junior minister Thomas Byrne said Ms Connolly must provide an “immediate and comprehensive explanation”.
“It appears that Deputy Connolly repeatedly tried to gain security clearance to Leinster House for a person who was a member of a fringe anti-peace process group, who was convicted of serious arms offences, including being caught with arms and ammunition in a stolen van while wearing a disguise.”
“This person was only denied access to our national Parliament through the direct intervention of counter-terrorism officers and in the face of Catherine Connolly’s repeated efforts to have them overruled,” Mr Byrne said.
“Given the concerns of antiterrorism officers and the fact that she was fully informed about the crimes and connections of the person, it is shocking that Catherine Connolly kept demanding access to our Parliament for someone who was connected to a group which sought to destroy the Northern peace process.
“This is not some small matter. The President and their staff are trusted with a wide range of highly confidential documents, including government memos, and they receive regular security briefings.”
But Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who was ceann comhairle at the time, told The Irish Times last night it was normal practice to scrutinise the employment record and standing of anybody coming to work in Leinster House.
“We became aware that somebody was there who would not have gone through the normal vetting process. We asked them to undertake that vetting process. They left before that process began,” he said.
“I would expect that if the person in question had dealings with highly reputable members of the Oireachtas, such as Catherine Connolly, [she] would not have sought to bring somebody, in my opinion, into the House who would be in any way a threat to the security or the efficient operation of the House.”
Former Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív, who visited the woman when she was serving her sentence in Limerick Prison, said he met her in Leinster House during that time, when she was working for Ms Connolly. He described her as a fine person and a first-rate academic and Irish-language activist.
“I don’t think there is anything to this,” he said. “When it is investigated it will turn into a ball of smoke.”
