Frances Fitzgerald’s resignation over her handling of information about the treatment of a police whistleblower should prevent no-confidence vote

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, will go into next month’s crucial European summit on Brexit without the fear of a general election at home after one of his key allies resigned from the cabinet hours before a parliamentary vote that would have led to the collapse of the government in Dublin.



Varadkar’s deputy, Frances Fitzgerald, offered her resignation at lunchtime on Tuesday, thus averting a vote of no confidence that could have brought down the minority Fine Gael-led coalition.

Fitzgerald’s decision to stand down brought Ireland back from the brink of a pre-Christmas election and gives Varadkar a freer hand to enter critical negotiations on Brexit, the Irish border and the future relationship between the EU and the UK at the summit in December.



She has been under intense pressure over her handling of information about the treatment of a police whistleblower who made allegations of corruption and malpractice in the Garda Síochána.

The political crisis over what Fitzgerald knew about the Garda high command’s strategy to allegedly smear the whistleblower deepened on Monday night when three emails from the Irish government’s Department of Justice were made public.

Timeline Ireland's police scandals Show Hide An Garda Síochána, Ireland's national police service, has faced a series of scandals in recent years that have led to the resignations of two Garda commissioners, played a key part in former prime minister Enda Kenny stepping down, and now threaten to bring down the Irish government. Police whistleblowers allege misconduct Then justice minister Alan Shatter receives an interim Garda report on allegations that drivers' penalty points were being cleared, with no reasons given. Two officers described as whistleblowers - former Garda John Wilson and Sgt Maurice McCabe – had raised the issue, alleging misconduct and corruption within the force. Report supports some allegations A report from the Comptroller & Auditor General supports some of the whistleblowers' allegations, finding "operational weaknesses" in the fines system, and saying the Garda had lost significant revenue from irregularities. Garda commissioner resigns Martin Callinan, then Garda commissioner, announces his retirement amid calls for his resignation, after he said he found the whistleblowers' allegations "quite disgusting". Justice minister resigns Alan Shatter, who had also criticised the whistleblowers, steps down after receiving a critical report into how his department handled McCabe's allegations. The government launches an inquiry into the scandal, led by the former high court judge, Kevin O'Higgins. O'Higgins report released The 362-page report identifies serious flaws and failures but finds no evidence of Garda criminality or corruption. It upholds many of McCabe's complaints, but also says some of his claims were overstated. The report also finds Shatter "did his work well". Another whistleblower emerges Supt David Taylor, former head of the Garda press office, says he was directed by senior officers including Callinan and his replacement Nóirín O'Sullivan to discredit McCabe. Commissioner O'Sullivan denies any involvement in the alleged smear campaign. The Disclosures Tribunal The first public investigation into the alleged smear campaign against McCabe begins, chaired by Supreme Court judge Peter Charleton. It is ongoing. More allegations of police misconduct Senior Garda officers reveal that almost one million drink-driving tests recorded by the police did not take place, and a separate error caused almost 15,000 wrongful traffic convictions. The Gardaí apologise, but the mistake could cost Irish taxpayers millions. Prime minister resigns Enda Kenny resigns after party pressure over his failure to secure a majority government in the general election in 2016 and his handling of the crises in the Irish police. Second police commissioner steps down Nóirín O’Sullivan announces her retirement, saying she had faced an “unending cycle” of investigations into the Garda Síochána. New Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, says her decision ensures the police can now focus on reforms.​ Fianna Fáil threatens snap election The party propping up Ireland’s minority coalition government submits a no confidence motion against deputy prime minister, Frances Fitzgerald, over her handling of the police whistleblower scandal. It threatens to pulls its support for the government, unless she resigns.

The communications appeared to show that Fitzgerald had been aware of the campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe although she has always insisted she supported the whistleblower.

In two of the emails, from 2015, when she was justice minister, Fitzgerald was warned about “aggressive tactics” being deployed against Sgt McCabe by the Garda leadership.

Fitzgerald had previously told the Dáil she was unaware of any smear strategy being used against the Garda officer.

The country’s main opposition party, Fianna Fáil, whose confidence and supply arrangement keeps the minority Fine Gael-led coalition in power, threatened to table a motion of no confidence in the government at 8pm on Tuesday. If this had passed, as was likely, it would have triggered the collapse of the government.

However, the deputy prime minister, or Tánaiste, prevented this by offering to resign – an offer the Fianna Fáil leader, Michael Martin, accepted.

In a reference to the EU Brexit summit in a few weeks’ time, Fitzgerald explained that she had decided to resign “to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilising general election at this historically critical time”.

She thanked the Taoiseach for defending her over the past few days from opposition attacks and hoped that a public inquiry being held into the way the Garda management had treated Sgt McCabe would “vindicate my good name”.

The 67-year-old veteran Fine Gael politician insisted she had always defended whistleblowers in the state.

She said Varadkar had not asked her personally to resign. Later, during a parliamentary question-and-answer session in the Dáil, Varadkar said it was with regret that he had accepted Fitzgerald’s resignation. He said she was a good woman who had left office “without getting a fair hearing” and that she was “one of the most reforming ministers we have ever had”.

While Varadkar can now attend the European summit in Brussels on 14 December without the worry of a snap election, the Fitzgerald affair will have longer-lasting implications for his premiership.

Ireland on the edge of turmoil just as a steady hand is needed most Read more

Although some Fine Gael TDs had been calling for Fitzgerald’s head, many other backbenchers are unhappy at the way Varadkar has handled this crisis.

Fine Gael has been ruthless in the recent past with leaders who have enjoyed honeymoon periods of popularity but later lost public support. In 2011, Enda Kenny led Fine Gael back to power with its highest number of seats, but five years later failed to get close to an overall majority.

In the aftermath of the 2016 election, Fine Gael had to seek a deal with old rivals Fianna Fáil to remain in power. The party then replaced Kenny with Varadkar.

Quick guide Ireland's political parties Show Hide Fine Gael Forged in the Irish civil war as the side that accepted the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, Fine Gael has a centre-right, pro-market and pro-European outlook. The party has two distinctive wings: a socially liberal, urban and professional base, and a rural grassroots following with strong links to the farming community. Fianna Fáil Initially comprising opponents of the Anglo-Irish treaty, Fianna Fáil is also seen as centre right. It dominated Irish politics for much of the 20th century and used to enjoy a predominantly working-class membership. An archetypal pragmatic political force, the party now has strong links to builders and property investors. Sinn Féin Once umbilically linked to the Provisional IRA, Sinn Féin has benefited enormously from the Irish peace process, with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness becoming internationally renowned political figures. The party takes a populist and pragmatic approach to economic issues. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

Fianna Fáil sources told the Guardian that Brexit negotiations in December would determine whether the party continued with the confidence and supply arrangement that keeps Varadkar and his government in power.

“If the negotiations, as we expect, continue long beyond December with further Brexit-related summits in February or March, then Fianna Fáil will hold off to allow for a stable Irish approach to the discussions in Europe.

“But I can’t see the confidence and supply arrangement going beyond the summer of 2018, trust has been damaged by the Fitzgerald affair, more revelations about other ministers might emerge in this tribunal into the treatment of Sgt McCabe and I think by late spring, early summer there will be an election,” a senior Fianna Fáil source said on Tuesday.

The confidence and supply deal that props up Varadkar and the Fine Gael/Independent Alliance is similar to the one the Democratic Unionist party operates to keep Theresa May in Downing Street.



But given the potential for turbulence in southern Irish politics, it is more likely that the controversial DUP deal to keep the minority Tory government in office will survive beyond the one in Dublin.



Fianna Fáil sources told the Guardian that once Fitzgerald had gone, it would not proceed with the vote of no confidence.