Tánaiste Simon Harris has described as “legal and ethical” the €800,000 in expenses claimed by Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness for a space she owns, adjacent to her home near Navan, Co Meath, which served as her constituency office during her 16 years as an MEP.
The Fine Gael leader said he did not think the issue would have any impact on the prospect of Ms McGuinness securing support in the party to run for the presidency, with nominations due to open on Monday.
“Mairead McGuinness is a person of the highest standing,” he said. “There are rules in place for all these things and Mairead is in compliance with all of them.”
Mr Harris expressed confidence that Ms McGuinness would be “transparent” about her claims, reported by The Irish Times on Friday, which he described as part of a “general allowance” available to all MEPs to fund their constituency offices.
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“And many, many, many people represented by Mairead McGuinness will know [hers] was an efficient and effective operation,” he said.
“It is a standard issue and because she served over a long time it is a large sum of money, but that is more a reflection of the longevity of her service.”
Mr Harris was in Berlin on Friday to meet his German foreign minister counterpart Johann Wadephul to discuss a looming US trade tariff deadline and the prospect of a ceasefire in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
Mr Harris acknowledged that the aftermath of the October 7th, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel had seen Ireland and Germany taking “different starting perspectives”.
“But everyone is unified in stopping the killing, releasing the hostages and getting the humanitarian aid in,” he said, expressing hope that a ceasefire was near.
“If we can get a ceasefire, it opens up the potential to have so many more conversations about what the future of Gaza looks like, and how you have a Gaza and a Palestinian state that doesn’t have Hamas as a part of it.”
Asked about Irish people in Berlin who complain of a police crackdown on shows of support for Gaza, Mr Harris said he was “not aware of any direct contact with the embassy by people saying they have been harassed”.
[ Irish in Germany caught between starkly different perspectives on Gaza warOpens in new window ]
“Irish people, wherever they are in the world, feel very strongly about Gaza, it’s in our gut and we are repulsed,” he said. “All countries have their laws and we have to abide by them, but I do passionately believe in freedom of speech and the right to protest – and that they are upheld.”
The Tánaiste said the Department of Foreign Affairs had no plans to change its travel advice for Germany which, at present, recommends that Irish visitors “avoid demonstrations by any organisation or political party which appears to be inciting racism or hatred”.
