Paul Murphy: Demands answers on Attorney-General double-jobbing
Paul Murphy challenged the minister over the Attorney-General's private legal work while serving as the Government's legal adviser, raising concerns about possible double-jobbing and conflicts of interest. He demanded details on when Mr Gallagher's private work ceased, a full list of private practice engagements while Attorney-General, and the basis for the arrangement.
Allegations raised
Murphy outlined an "incredible" situation in which the Attorney-General was the Government's legal adviser during the week while at weekends doing what appears to be a nixer for former INM directors. He said this was the same Attorney-General who provided legal advice against a ban on eviction and rent increases and claimed the Attorney-General had a property portfolio estimated to be worth up to 8.5 million euros.
Questions put to Government
Murphy set out three specific questions for the Government: when Mr Gallagher's private work ceased; can a full list be produced of all private practice he engaged in while serving as Attorney-General; and on what basis the Government agreed to allow the arrangement.
Government explanation
The minister responded that, prior to appointment in June 2020, the Attorney-General disclosed a few existing litigation commitments to the Taoiseach, who informed the other government leaders. These private professional obligations were expected to be discharged shortly after appointment but were delayed due to the COVID pandemic.
Timeline and current status
The minister said there are no continuing private professional obligations and that the last outstanding private matter ceased on 25 September, when the Attorney-General had discharged his final commitments. The minister framed the delays as a consequence of exceptional pandemic-related postponements.
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Minister, we need answers from the Government about the quite incredible situation involving the Attorney-General effectively double-jobbing, being the legal adviser to the Government during the week, while at the weekend doing what appears to be a nixer for former INM directors. This is the same Attorney-General who provided legal advice against a ban on eviction and rent increases without following the legal requirement to submit in writing a declaration of a potential conflict of interest, given that he is a property portfolio estimated to be worth up to 8.5 million euros. We know that the Attorney-General was doing work for the INM directors just days before the Government said his private work had ceased. So, a few questions. One, when did Mr Gallagher's private work cease? Secondly, can we see a full list of all the private practice he engaged in while working as Attorney-General? And third, can the Government explain on what basis they agreed to this arrangement? I am not sure I am going to have time to answer all those questions now, but what I will say is, prior to his appointment in June 2020, the Attorney-General disclosed to the Taoiseach that he had a few existing litigation commitments to complete, which he considered he had a professional obligation to discharge. The Taoiseach informed the other government leaders prior to his appointment. In the normal course of events, these private professional obligations would have been discharged in a short period of time following his appointment. But due to the COVID pandemic, there were exceptional delays in hearings of those aspects of the litigation in which the Attorney-General was involved. And it was not possible to discharge these obligations as early as anticipated. The Attorney-General has no continuing private professional obligations, the last of which was scheduled to cease, and did in fact cease on the 25th of September, when he had discharged the last of his outstanding private professional obligations. Thank you.
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