Leo Varadkar’s coronavirus spin guru broke the 2km lockdown rule several times travelling from Galway to Dublin.
John Concannon is the top communications official on the Taoiseach’s crisis team having been drafted in at the start of the pandemic in March.
He does not get paid anything extra for this role as he already receives a fee for working at the Department of Foreign Affairs on our United Nations Security Council seat bid campaign.
Mr Concannon was also head of the Taoiseach’s controversial SCU (Strategic Communications Unit) spin machine before it was scrapped after a backlash in 2018.
But Dublin Live can confirm he has travelled to Dublin from his home in Galway at least twice since the 2km restriction was introduced at the end of March.
Mr Concannon was front and centre in sending out the message that no one was to travel.
The official was on Government business but other senior political figures have either worked remotely or stayed in Dublin.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has remained in the capital since the lockdown and has not been able to visit his family in Cork in more than 12 weeks.
In a statement about Mr Concannon, a spokesman for the Government Information Service said: “As part of the response to the Covid-19 crisis, a Government crisis communications group was convened.
“This group, which now meets daily by video conference, comprises members from all Government departments and a number of relevant agencies.
“John Concannon is a member of this team and is helping to co-ordinate public information communications across Government and its agencies.
“While his attendance at Government Buildings was essential in the early stages of the pandemic, he has worked remotely since early April.
“He has attended Government Buildings twice for essential meetings in the period since early April.”
