Emails before Champagne party ‘debunk suggestion it was impromptu event’

 28th January 2022

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Internal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) emails “debunk” suggestions from the Government that the controversial champagne party in Iveagh House was an impromptu event, Sinn Féin has said.

Speaking in the Dáil, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said correspondence showing former DFA secretary-general Niall Burgess was “happy” for staff to gather and watch the UN Security Council vote suggested the party that followed was planned in advance.

“It clearly debunks the line peddled by the Tánaiste and other members of the Government that the event held in Iveagh House in June was an impromptu one,” Mr Doherty said.

Mr Burgess’s private secretary wrote to another official saying: “Following on from our call SG (secretary-general) happy to watch result down the back of the political open plan in the ‘thick of it’.”

The message about the gathering was greeted with caution by the official who received the email.

“We will proceed on this basis for the moment,” she replied, but noted staff may “move locations” to watch the UN Security Council election “given social distancing measures”.

However, the same official was pictured holding a glass of champagne, closely surrounded by her colleagues in the selfie taken by Mr Burgess on the night of the celebration.

Records released under Freedom of Information laws show DFA staff were issued with strict Covid-19 guidelines on a number of occasions in the weeks preceding the controversial gathering on June 17, 2020.

On March 13, Iveagh House staff were notified that “all on-site and off-site events” were to be cancelled, and they were asked to postpone all “team events” until further notice.

In another email forwarded directly to Mr Burgess, the department’s health and safety manager warned officials about the message that holding face-to-face meetings would sent out to “the wider organisation” at a difficult time.

The DFA said no records existed in relation to the purchase of champagne or other alcohol for consumption at the Iveagh House party. It also said no correspondence or briefing notes about the event had been sent or received by Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.

In the Dáil, Mr Doherty said the new information required a full investigation into the party in the department.

In response, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said a report was being compiled by the current secretary-general of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“It is entirely appropriate that he should do that, he is the accounting officer. We should wait until we see that report. We will pass judgment when we have it,” Mr Varadkar said.

Department of Foreign Affairs staff who attended the party in Iveagh House will be formally questioned as part of the investigation into the controversial gathering.

The terms of reference for the internal review of the party said staff would be “obliged to co-operate” with the investigation and attend meetings with the department’s human resources division.

“They may be questioned on any matter relevant to that day. A note-taker will attend and record key elements of the meeting. A copy of the record will be sent to the individual,” the terms of reference said.

The human resources division will also have full access to any documentation relating to the event or any information they believe is relevant to their investigation.

The review will examine what workplace arrangements and public health advice were in place at the time of the event and also seek to establish the “nature of the work that required on-site presence”. It will also look at the circumstances whereby staff gathered in the UN unit of Iveagh House after the Security Council vote.

Meanwhile, Mr Coveney has defended his decision to appoint his current secretary-general Joe Hackett to investigate the controversial party.

In a letter to Foreign Affairs Committee chair Charlie Flanagan, Mr Coveney said: “The current secretary-general was not at the gathering in June 2020 and was not involved in the UN Security Council campaign.”