Paul Murphy: Demands Correction Over Minister's Deleted Texts

Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach whether his strategic goals include allowing ministers to mislead the Dáil, citing conflicting accounts about deleted text messages. He argued a minister denied deleting texts in a committee appearance, but an Information Commissioner decision later recorded that the minister's special adviser said a text had been deleted and described the sender as a supposed "troller" who was in fact a journalist.

Parliamentary challenge

Paul Murphy directly questioned the Taoiseach about whether government strategy tolerates ministers misleading the Dáil and asked whether the minister should correct the record.

Ministerial testimony to committee

Paul Murphy recalled that in February 2022 the minister appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee and was asked three times by Murphy and another deputy whether he had deleted any texts. The minister's replies were recorded as "I have not deleted any texts," "all I can say is I have not deleted any texts," and simply "no."

Information Commissioner's decision

Paul Murphy noted that an Office of the Information Commissioner decision, issued two months earlier in relation to an FOI appeal, recorded the minister's special adviser saying the minister had deleted a text message on his device and characterised the sender as trolling the minister.

Journalist's role and public health context

Paul Murphy emphasised that the so-called "troller" was actually the journalist who exposed the breach of public health guidelines at Ivy House and that the Department of Foreign Affairs had engaged with that journalist's material.

Taoiseach's refusal to answer

When asked whether the minister should correct the record, the Taoiseach declined to answer, saying he was not familiar with the details of the matter.