Leo Varadkar’s attendance at a UK music festival on the weekend Electric Picnic was due to go ahead is a "non-story", according to a Fine Gael Senator.
The Tánaiste is facing criticism after he was pictured at the Mighty Hoopla festival in London just days after reportedly telling events industry representatives that Britain’s reopening was not an example to be followed.
While restrictions on live music and organised outdoor gathering are being eased today, Irish festivals like Electric Picnic were not able to go ahead due to uncertainty over what restrictions would be in place by the time they rolled around.
Electric Picnic was originally pushed back to later this month before being officially cancelled last week.
Music industry representatives have reacted angrily to the pictures of Minister Varadkar attending the London festival, while former Fine Gael TD Kate O’Connell described his decision to attend as “tone deaf.”
On the weekend that Electric Picnic was meant to be on, here is @LeoVaradkar at the unsegregated full-on full capacity Might Hoopla Festival London. Entry with Covid passport or PCR test.
Angry? Please let him & his colleagues who have crippled our entertainment industry know pic.twitter.com/ioz3iCnZGM
— Mark Graham (@IreMusPod) September 4, 2021
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer insisted the controversy was a “non-story.”
“Leo Varadkar was in London from my understanding on a private visit over the weekend before a trade mission starts today,” he said.
“In our case, today we have seen the lifting of restrictions on concerts and the entertainment industry. Leo Varadkar has been a supporter and a strong advocate of events like Electric Picnic, which wasn’t cancelled by Government.
“This story to me highlights the overarching debate we need to have around what is the right of public figures to privacy versus the right to information.
"In my opinion, it just shows that we live in a society now where people are rushing to judge and make comments.”
Privacy
He suggested the sharing of the image on social media was an invasion of Minister Varadkar’s privacy.
“He attended a festival that was allowed; that we permissible in the UK and he was in the UK,” he said.
“We must put this into the overall approach of the Government in terms of the reopening of the country – today we are seeing the events industry being reopened.
“The fundamental question here that we ned to have a debate about is in the context of privacy of public figures and also about the right to information of people. To me, this is about putting things in balance.
“There has been no comment about the image being shared on social media which I think was again an invasion of privacy but I think the important point here is we learn from what we do.”
Live events
Asked whether the Tánaiste should have known better given the damage COVID restrictions have caused to Ireland’s entertainment industry, Senator Buttimer insisted Minister Varadkar has been a strong supporter of the industry.
“Leo Varadkar was at an event in London on Saturday on his own,” he said. “We must put things in perspective here.”
“He has been the Taoiseach of a Government and a minister of a Government that has supported the events industry to the tune of €100m. He has been a strong advocate of reopening the country.
“The important point here is that this is a story that is a non-story. It is about the click-bait society we live in and I think it is disappointing it has gone to the level it has gone to.”
