Oireachtas member arrested but not named **Mod Warning in OP 08/03/25**

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2025/03/08/oireachtas-member-questioned-by-gardai-about-alleged-150000-business-fraud/

Not going to get into the rights or wrongs of the actual allegations - we know shag all about them anyway - but why has the arrested person not been named by the media?

As I understand it there is no legal bar against naming an arrested person provided they are an adult and it's not a sexual offence.

Seems like the pol corrs don't want to burn bridges.

It'll come out eventually who it is so why not just bloody name them and get it over with.

If charged, they'll get their day in court same as anyone else.

TBH there's still too much deference towards politicians in the Irish media, some of them have hushed up all sorts of shenanigans. They refused to investigate the obvious stink off Charlie Haughey for decades. Our libel laws don't help, but reporting a fact - that someone has been arrested - cannot be libel.

Mod: As per Boards Terms of Use no speculation as to the identity of the Oireachtas member or the reason for their arrest until this information is reported.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058400839/oireachtas-member-arrested-but-not-named

It's very unusual for someone to be named before they are charged before the courts.

There is no conspiracy here, no matter how desparate you want it to be.

OrangeBadger

Why would a person be named before they are convicted? Nonsense 🤣

Jizique

Usually named when charged

Leg End Reject

Mod warning added to OP: As per Boards Terms of Use no speculation as to the identity of the Oireachtas member or the reason for their arrest until this information is reported.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245468#Comment_123245468

People are named for being arrested all the time.

HeidiHeidi

They really aren't.

Once charged in court they're named in the media.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245720#Comment_123245720

There are cases where it has happened, but it's very rare.

I'm sure you've plenty of evidence to back up your claim that it happens 'all the time'?

Hotblack Desiato

If they're at all "famous" or otherwise notable in the media they're named.

A member of the Oireachtas certainly fits into that bracket.

The silence is deafening.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245535#Comment_123245535

Every adult charged with a non-sexual crime can be named, convicted or not. You don't seem to have much of a clue about the Irish justice system.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245890#Comment_123245890

Again, where is your evidence for this?

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245900#Comment_123245900

With respect, neither do you.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245535#Comment_123245535

Tell that to Claire Daly

elperello

Why the rush ?

If they are charged we will all find out.

If not there's not much to report.

Flaneur OBrien

It's been reported the TD is from Cork.

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/cork-td-arrested-in-garda-fraud-investigation/a1491987242.html

JVince

Media are stating it's a Cork TD.

Considering it's not a career politician and FG have said it's not one of their members, it leaves a very small list.

I suspect they will be named soon enough.

The silence from one particular party that usually is shouting from the rooftops is rather telling.

Hotblack Desiato

How is a TD not a career politician, are they looking into their crystal ball and expecting to lose the next election?

After they get fecked out then they say it wasn't their intention to pursue politics as a career 🙄 it was though, but the electorate decided differently

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245927#Comment_123245927

I don't think you have to be Poirot to figure out who it is, tbf.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245946#Comment_123245946

Career politician as in someone who has been a td/politician for many years.

This person was in private sector employment until about 5 years ago.

its_steve116

It's Thomas Gould.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41589505.html

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245946#Comment_123245946

They mean someone who was elected since 2016. I also don't think its a SF TD as we would know by now.

JVince

Sinn Fein td Thomas Gould - says he's innocent 🤣

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41589505.html

skimpydoo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245978#Comment_123245978

Opps looks like it is a SF TD as the Irish Examiner just named him.

For Petes Sake

Before anyone starts, the only reason it's out there is because he's given a statement to the media confirming its him.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123246016#Comment_123246016

He had no option. The dogs on the street knew.

FF had said privately it wasn't one of theirs, FG said publicly it wasn't one of theirs.

SF were extraordinarily quiet - seems they knew about it weeks ago (early January) as one of their councilors (Kenneth Collins) was questioned by gardai back then.

SF were probably hoping it would go away. 🤣

So TWO sinn fein politicians mired in a fraud investigation involving their previous employer.

Hotblack Desiato

Do you mean the councillor questioned as part of this, or another investigation?

Some SF TDs previous employer was the IRA 😯

Have to say I've never heard of this fella, he seems to be pretty much unknown outside of Cork.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123245535#Comment_123245535

Here's an example

A complaint was referred to the PSI in June 2022 following media reports that named Mr O’Leary as one of several individuals arrested for unlawful possession of a controlled drug in May 2019.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41588734.html

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123247102#Comment_123247102

Any examples of people who have been named before they were charged, which you seem to think happens all the time?

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123247238#Comment_123247238

Like I said, Claire Daly for one.

odyssey06

I don't think Ian Bailey was actually charged here in relation to the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, yet was named after being arrested.

hometruths

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123247971#Comment_123247971

I think media do as a general rule follow the practice of not naming until charged, no matter who the individual is.

There was an incident in my neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago that was all over the news - on the day all of the newspapers/radio/tv etc reported what happened and that a man had been arrested, but did not name him. He was only named by a local hobby news amateur website.

The next day, after he'd been formally charged, all the news outlets published his name, age, address, photo etc.