Fine Gael confirm they do not have a standard vetting system for candidates
Fine Gael do not have a standard vetting system for candidates, the Taoiseach has confirmed.
It comes amid the continuing controversy around remarks made by Fine Gael's by-election candidate Verona Murphy who suggested asylum seekers who come to Ireland need to be "deprogrammed" as they may have been influenced by ISIS.
The Wexford candidate has since apologised for the remarks which she made to a number of media organisations.
Pressed on whether Fine Gael carries out any vetting of candidates before they are selected to run for the party, Leo Varadkar said: "There is no detailed standard protocol for vetting candidates but obviously we do our best to make sure they are vetted.
"Obviously we would have conversations with candidates about their willingness to sign up to the party's policies and values," he told reporters in Zagreb.
Mr Varadkar said he isn't fully aware of the details of an alleged bullying case involving Ms Murphy in her role as head of the Road Haulage Association.
In February the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found that an office manager at the Road Haulage Association was penalised for raising her concerns of alleged bullying against Ms Murphy and two other workers.
The WRC ordered the IRHA to pay €20,000 compensation for breaching safety, health and welfare at work legislation in its treatment of the worker.
Mr Varadkar said: "I don't know the details. My understanding is that it's a labour dispute within the Irish Road Haulage Association, which has been resolved amicably, but without knowing the details I can't really comment on it."
