Taoiseach faces scrutiny over handling of Louth senator’s case in debate

Taoiseach Simon Harris and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald both faced scrutiny over their handling of controversies involving party colleagues during the televised General Election debate.

Fine Gael leader Mr Harris told RTE host Katie Hannon he would not have used the word “scuffle” to describe a 2018 altercation involving his now party candidate in Co Louth John McGahon if he had first seen video footage that has emerged of the incident.

Mr McGahon, a Fine Gael senator, was found not guilty of assaulting a man outside a Dundalk nightclub in a criminal case two years ago but a High Court civil action earlier this year found him liable, with Mr McGahon ordered to pay damages.

Ms Hannon asked Mr Harris if he had seen the video before he used the word scuffle.

“No, I hadn’t,” he replied.

“And, of course, if I had Katie, I wouldn’t have used that phrase at all.”

Asked if he had backed Mr McGahon without seeing the evidence, he added: “I had backed him on the basis of what had happened in a court. It is important to say this because there’s been a lot of accusations thrown here today. 

“If John McGahon had been criminally convicted in a court in this country, he would not be a candidate for my party. Not sure every other leader on this stage can say that about their own party, but that is the position in relation to my party.

“This was an issue that was fully litigated and examined in a court, a Garda investigation, a jury of his peers looked at all of the evidence, all of the CCTV, all of the footage, heard from all of the witnesses, and they found him not guilty.”

When it was put to Mr Harris that Mr McGahon had been found 65% liable in the civil case and ordered to pay 39,000 euros in damages, Mr Harris added: “And he was rightly punished in relation to having to pay that fine. And that is appropriate.”

However, he noted that Fine Gael members in Co Louth had democratically elected him as the candidate in the election and it was up to the electorate to decide if he should become a TD.

“He is a democratically selected candidate, and he has not been convicted of a criminal charge,” he added.

Ms McDonald had been asked about the controversy as she arrived for the debate.

“All I can tell you is this, if that occurred within my party, I would take a decisive action, and there would be consequences, and Senator McGahon would not be on the general election ticket,” she told reporters outside.

Earlier in the day the leader of Fianna Fail Michael Martin has said he is “shocked” by video footage showing Fine Gael candidate John McGahon in an altercation in which another man was injured.

Micheal Martin said Mr McGahon would not be running in the election if he was a member of Fianna Fail, while Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman urged caution over “cancelling” election candidates.

Mr Martin said to reporters on Monday he did not want to be “too judgmental” but added: “It was a vicious attack and incident from what I saw on video.

“We all have to examine, reflect and be honest about it: If we were in the same situation, I don’t think he would be a candidate.”

Asked if it called Mr Harris’s judgement into question, Mr Martin said he was “surprised” but added that it was ultimately a matter for Fine Gael and voters in Louth.

He said: “I certainly was surprised by the decision to double down on his candidature given what we now know.”

Mr Martin said strikes to the head, as depicted in the video, can lead to bad consequences and that it was fortunate Mr White’s injuries were not worse.

“The injuries were very severe, there is a victim here and he feels he hasn’t been listened to.”

Asked about Mr Harris previously depicting the incident as a scuffle, Mr Martin said: “It was anything but a scuffle – I presume the Taoiseach hadn’t seen the video – it was quite vicious.”

Minister for Children Mr O’Gorman said it was up to the voters in Louth to decide whether “the seriousness of this assault is disqualifying for Senator McGahon”.

“I think ultimately we leave these decisions to the voters in the areas,” he said.

“I think we should be very careful about, you know, cancelling who can rule and who can contest a general election. It’s an essential part of our democracy, but I’ve always relied on the Irish people to exercise their good judgment in terms of the candidates that they elect.”

Asked if he would be happy to work with Mr McGahon if there was another coalition with Fine Gael and the Greens, he said: “If Senator McGahon is elected by the people of Louth, I think ultimately that’s their decision.”

The issue has arisen in the second of the three-week general election campaign.

When the debate got under way, the Sinn Fein leader was then pressed on her own handling of several controversies involving her party, including those of former party press officer Michael McMonagle and ex-Sinn Fein senator Niall O Donnghaile.

McMonagle, 43, from Limewood Street, Londonderry, was jailed earlier this month after admitting a number of child sex offences.

Last month, former Sinn Fein senator Mr O Donnghaile revealed he had left the party last year after sending allegedly inappropriate text messages to a teenager.

Ms McDonald insisted she dealt with the various issues “speedily and resolutely”.

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“And in each instance where there was bad behaviour, poor behaviour dropped beneath standards, there was full accountability and there were very serious consequences,” she added.

“I think people would observe a contrast between my approach, which has been about accountability and consequences, and other scenarios where it seems wrongdoing is ignored and, in fact, in many cases, wrongdoers are promoted.”

Mr Harris insisted the police had handled many of the issues related to Sinn Fein, not Ms McDonald.

“And a young man (who Mr O Donnghaile messaged) in an interview with the Sunday Independent said your response to the issue resulted in him feeling like he had been mentally stabbed. So don’t rewrite history. It wasn’t that long ago. Mentally stabbed,” he said.

Repeating the phrase “mentally stabbed” a further four times, Mr Harris said to Ms McDonald: “That was your actions and every mother and father at home should know that that was your leadership.”