The Ditch editors

Fine Gael councillor, Varadkar ally silent on three conflicting ethics declarations and legal threat

Having failed to declare his ownership of 13 rental properties, Fingal county councillor Ted Leddy has had two new ethics declarations uploaded to the council's website – failing in each case to acknowledge the new versions.

What can you get across Europe for less than the rent landlord Leo Varadkar charges for his apartment?

Earlier this year The Ditch reported that Leo Varadkar is letting out his two-bedroom Castleknock, west Dublin apartment for €1,600 a month. So let’s take a look at cheaper two-bedroom rental apartments in cities with populations similar to Dublin.

Fianna Fáil senator didn’t declare directorship of family company she falsely claimed was dissolved

Fianna Fáil senator Erin McGreehan twice failed to declare her directorship of a family company she falsely claimed had been dissolved.

Fianna Fáil minister won’t say why he paid €61,000 PR allowance to tax defaulter’s construction company

Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins paid a construction company owned by a tax defaulter €61,000 in state funds – from an allowance for PR and training.

Robert Troy’s Fianna Fáil constituency colleague didn’t declare directorship of property company

Ex-junior minister Robert Troy’s constituency and party colleague failed to declare his directorship of a property company.

Fine Gael councillor didn’t declare ownership of company with 13 rental properties

Fine Gael councillor Ted Leddy failed to declare his ownership of 13 rental properties in Cavan and Dublin.

Fine Gael minister of state Josepha Madigan defaulted on investment property mortgage

Fine Gael junior minister Josepha Madigan defaulted on the mortgage of an investment property.

Fine Gael minister of state Josepha Madigan has never declared ownership of commercial property

Fine Gael minister of state Josepha Madigan has never declared her ownership of a commercial property since she was elected to the Dáil in 2016. TDs are required under ethics acts to declare their property interests annually. Madigan was required to declare her interest in this property even if it

State film agency gave 12 percent of Covid-19 fund to board member’s company

Screen Ireland gave almost 12 percent of its entire 2022 Covid-19 grant budget to a company owned by one of its own board members.

Ex-An Bord Pleanála deputy chair Hyde had relationship with senior inspector he ordered to change report

Ex-An Bord Pleanalála (ABP) deputy chairperson Paul Hyde was in a relationship with the senior planning inspector at the centre of one of the authority’s changed reports scandals.

Here’s what a Bord Pleanála inspector copied-and-pasted from a developer’s application for controversial strategic housing development

A Bord Pleanála (ABP) inspector copied-and-pasted into her report a false statement from a developer’s own application for a controversial strategic housing development (SHD).

An Bord Pleanála’s Hyde and Fagan unlawfully refused county Kerry housing development

Disgraced An Bord Pleanála (ABP) ex-deputy chairperson Paul Hyde and board member Michelle Fagan unlawfully refused a county Kerry apartment development. The duo voted against the 32-unit development without a legally required third board member.