The View from The Ditch: Matt Barrett’s new pad; Des O’Malley’s legacy; Dublin funerals; Paschal's new adviser

This is the view. From the Ditch.

Golfgate organiser’s firm gets government gig grant

A Golfgate organiser’s company has received government funding to run a live event.

Fine Gael byelection candidate James Geoghegan organised conference for anti-abortion TDs, senators

Fine Gael Dublin Bay South byelection candidate James Geoghegan organised an event for politicians expelled from Fine Gael for their opposition to abortion legislation.

Fine Gael candidate James Geoghegan's trust fund sold property to Ansbacher-linked firm

Fine Gael’s Dublin Bay South byelection candidate James Geoghegan’s trust fund in 2018 sold a Dublin 4 property to an Ansbacher-linked property firm for €1.6 million.

One medical card. €22 million in charges. A ‘very profitable’ homeless clinic

The HSE is reviewing a medical card next week. A €22 million medical card.

Mother and baby homes commissioner was guest speaker at Church of Ireland event

One of the Mother and Baby Homes Investigation commissioners spoke at a Church of Ireland event while she was investigating institutions run by its members.

Conor Skehan’s company awarded more than €1 million in public contracts while he chaired Housing Agency

The contracts included one from the Department of Housing, awarded while Skehan chaired the Housing Agency.

‘Better to stick with what you know’: Fianna Fáil byelection candidate on letting room to Latvian worker

Fianna Fáil’s Dublin Bay South byelection candidate was a landlord who decided it’s “better to stick with what you know” after what she considered a bad experience with a Latvian tenant.

Fianna Fáil councillor and former senator sacked employee because of her disability: WRC

Former Fianna Fáil senator Lisa McDonald sacked an employee suffering from depression and told her “she looked like shite”, an employment tribunal has heard.

housing crisis

Fianna Fáil ministers, the REITs and the housing crisis

Two Fianna Fáil ministers. Both landlords. One REIT investor. One who (unsuccessfully) took a case against a tenant for alleged arrears on a tiny one-bed flat he rented for €1,250 per month.

Tusla told senior office staff to register as healthcare workers for Covid-19 vaccine

Senior office staff at a state agency were told by managers to register as healthcare workers in order to skip the queue for Covid-19 vaccines.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin breached public health guidelines at prohibited event honouring his father

Taoiseach Micheál Martin breached Covid-19 public health guidelines by attending an indoor event held in honour of his late father in Cork.