The Weekend On One With Brendan O'Connor

Nothing, for an ordinary citizen. But again, he’s a public figure, attached, a senior politician, and he would have known the SIPO report was coming out - he should have known better than to do anything to bring a spotlight on him at this time, and that is why I am saying his behaviour is reckless and is a poor reflection of his judgement. I’m not saying him sniffing the guy was reckless, I’m saying his behaviour is. Do you really not see or understand the difference here?

Also, do you know anyone in an open relationship? I suspect not. Because the one rule the majority of people in those relationships have is not to do anything to embarrass the other - do what you want but not in public and don’t humiliate me. Those who I have spoken to about this have said he has broken the golden rule.

Please read back.

No, it’s not completely different, to behave in a manner that is politically unwise and therefore draw attention to yourself at a time when you’re days away from assuming the most senior political post in the country and days away from the publication of a report from SIPO in which 2 members basically said they don’t believe your explanation is reckless. Btw, this was also the first time in the history of SIPO that their findings weren’t unanimous.

The way some are commenting in here you’d almost think Leo planned this and should be congratulated for his public expression of emotion and Gigi’s efforts to break down barriers

Do you honestly think his Strat Comm PR minions were delighted when this became public or something?

This statement is hilariously ironic given there’s likely never been a politician in this country who is more a slave to ficus groups than Leo:

But you know what, maybe we need some politicians who don't live their lives by focus group.

This the same Leo who was against gay marriage until it he found out it was ok to be for it though…..focus group results. Lol.

Utterly predictable to see him play the privacy card too. Pearse Doherty’s run in with the law wasn’t a private matter was it, and Mary Lou’s house doesn’t seem to be private either? Interesting that. Oh and I’m no SF supporter btw, I actually voted FG last time I voted (election before last, I was in the US during our last election).

The saddest part for me with Leo is that when he appeared on the scene I actually thought he was quite promising, he’s done nothing but go down in my opinion the more he exposes his real self. Failed in every ministry he’s held, and moves from one controversy to the next as Tanaiste/Taoiseach,

What on earth are you talking about? No attention? Really?

To answer your question though - no, it wouldn't. It would still be unbecoming, though not as spectacularly bad as his timing this time around. It's not very becoming of the holder of the office he holds. That position demands certain behavioural standards and responsibilities. How you cannot see this is simply astonishing. And I'd bet were it Pearse Doherty, Trump, Boris Johnson, Mary Lou etc. the reaction would be very different.

Call me old-fashioned for expecting the next leader of the country - a man in his 40s btw - not to be out looking for the shift in a nightclub. It's not like the country has many issues to deal with at the moment is it? 🙄

Any chance you'd answer my questions now?

Are you saying there are none that accompany that office?

Since you asked..... from the UK (source at the end). A bit long but worth reading, as is the fuller document linked below.

The seven principles of public life

The principles of public life apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder. This

includes all those who are elected or appointed to public office, nationally and locally,

and all people appointed to work in the civil service, local government, the police, courts

and probation services, NDPBs, and in the health, education, social and care services.

All public office-holders are both servants of the public and stewards of public resources.

The principles also have application to all those in other sectors delivering public services.

Selflessness Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

Integrity Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or

organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should

not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for

themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests

and relationships.

Objectivity Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using

the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

Accountability Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and

must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

Openness Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner.

Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful

reasons for so doing.

Honesty Holders of public office should be truthful.

Leadership Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should

actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor

behaviour wherever it occurs.

To whom should the seven principles apply?

3.11 There is a growing area of ambiguity occupied by people contracted to deliver public services who may not

be public office-holders. We strongly believe that the ethical standards captured by the seven principles

should also apply to such individuals and their organisations. Like traditional public servants they are being

paid public money to provide services on behalf of the community to individuals who may not have a choice

about going elsewhere.

3.12 Principles are what matters in determining what people “should” do as opposed to what they might “get

away with”. But the more ambiguous the circumstances (that is the less the principles might seem to an

individual to be clearly applicable) the less purchase they are likely to have. This seems likely to be

34 TNS BMRB, Review of the descriptors of the seven principles of public life: Report from stage three, report to the Committee, November 2006.25

CHAPTER 3: THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE

particularly important in the case of non-traditional suppliers of public services. Unless the principles are

clearly translated into contracts and clear guidance, it is unlikely that private contractors in particular will

believe that they are unambiguously applicable to them (given the likelihood of conflicts between the

motives of private profit and public service), or spend time deducing from the principles how they are

supposed to behave. There is therefore a responsibility on public office-holders to specify particular and

proportionate ethical requirements in the contracts they let on behalf of the public sector. 35 This is a difficult

area, the implications of which will require some effort to work out in practice. It is an issue of possible

future inquiry for the Committee.

The private behaviour of public office-holders

3.13 The seven principles specifically apply to public life. Public office-holders do, of course, also have private

lives, which are affected by a whole range of emotions and other factors in which the seven principles of

public life are unlikely to be a major consideration.

3.14 It is important both for reasons of principle and to prevent unnecessary inhibitions on willingness to perform

public roles that the privacy of the personal lives of public office-holders should be respected. The legal

protection of the right to privacy under the Human Rights Act 1998 applies to public office-holders as well

as to other citizens.

3.15 On the other hand, the separation between the public and private lives of public office-holders can never

be absolute. There are circumstances in which private behaviour can legitimately affect an individual’s

employment in public office because of its impact on the reputation or integrity of the organisation

concerned.

3.16 Some of these circumstances are recognised in law. If an individual is declared bankrupt or insolvent, for

example, they cannot stand as a Parliamentary candidate and can be denied employment in a wide number

of public posts. Others are incorporated in specific codes. The General Teaching Council for Scotland’s

ethical guidance to teachers, Code of professionalism and conduct, states that:

“You should avoid situations both within and without the professional context which could be in breach

of the criminal law, or may call into question your fitness to teach... you must uphold standards of

personal and professional conduct, honesty and integrity so that the public have confidence in you as

a teacher and teaching as a profession... you should maintain an awareness that as a teacher you are

a role model to pupils.”

36

These guidelines are clearly intended to apply to teachers’ private as well as public lives. The code is not

statutory. But any serious breach or series of minor breaches of it could lead to an adverse “fitness to

teach” finding and possible sanctions.

3.17 Whatever the law or principle might imply, the public are likely to draw conclusions about an individual’s

public behaviour from what they know of their private behaviour. History provides numerous examples of

apparently scandalous behaviour, usually of a sexual or financial nature, casting such doubt on the

suitability of politicians or others for public office that they have resigned or been removed from their posts.

This is not necessarily an irrational reaction to media pressure – though it can sometimes be. It is not

unreasonable for people to think that individuals who display poor behaviour or bad judgement in their

private lives are at risk of doing the same in their public lives. Moreover, people’s own willingness to behave

well can be critically affected by what they see of the behaviour of those in leadership positions. There is no

reason to think that in doing so they discriminate between behaviour in public and in private roles. One

focus group participant expressed this as follows:

35 See Chapter 7, paragraph 7.7.

36 General Teaching Council for Scotland, Code of professionalism and conduct, May 2008 (revised April 2012), p.6.26

STANDARDS MATTER

“At the end of the day, if you’re in a place of power, you’ve got to be honourable no matter what –

whether you’re at home in bed, or sitting and having tea with the Queen.”

37

3.18 We are not seeking to impose public morality on private life. But it is important to recognise that there are

occasions when public and private lives can overlap and where private acts that become known can

damage public confidence in office-holders and institutions. There are therefore circumstances in which it is

appropriate to take account of the private behaviour of public office-holders in judging their suitability for

office. Such intrusions should be exceptional, always proportionate, and only happen where the public

interest clearly requires it. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards recently expressed it thus in

recommending a revision to the code of conduct for MPs:

“I recognise the House’s concern about any intrusion into a member’s private and personal life. Like

anyone else, Members are entitled to a private and personal life and for that to remain private. Any

intrusion into that should be both necessary and proportionate. There needs to be a very clear public

interest in such intrusion, recognising, as a rule in the Code says, that any conflict between the private

and public interest must be resolved in favour of the public interest.”

38

3.19 In our view instances where an individual’s private behaviour might affect their public life need to be looked

at case by case. They should be addressed not by a lengthy philosophical debate but by clarity about

acceptable behaviours and possible sanctions.

Source:

Ah. Leo scraped in in his own constituency in the last GE on the 5th count. As party leader, that is a shocking performance.