An opposition TD says there is a perception that the political elite are not accountable.
People Before Profit's Bríd Smith was speaking after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided not to bring charges against Tánaiste Leo Varadkar over the alleged leaking of a confidential document.
Mr Varadkar had been investigated for leaking a contract deal struck with the Irish Medical Organisation to Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail, who was working for a rival GP group at the time.
Deputy Smith told Newstalk Breakfast the perceptions of the public can differ.
"I can't comment on the decision of the DPP and I'm not going to.
"As I said to your programme before I think what this really indicates is a malaise at the top of the elite of the political establishment.
"It will feed into people's mistrust and anger with the political leadership.
"And it's kind of not unrelated to what's happening across the water - in the sense that people don't trust political leaders who actually think that there's two sets of rules: one for them and one for all the little guys.
"That would be how it appears after COVID, after Golfgate and Merriongate and this particular incident.
"I'm saying that's the perception of the vast majority... I'm not saying that the DPP is wrong or right."
She says it's not about whether rules are broken, but the perception that is there.
"I guess ordinary people would feel if they break the rules, they have to be accountable for it.
"But the elite at the top are not accountable.
"I think it's part of a general mistrust, a malaise about the political elite, that ordinary people perceive."
She adds: "Things happen, things look wrong, and we never get an answer or a result from it".
