Leo Varadkar was told of Agent Cobalt allegations when he was Taoiseach - and believed them
Leo Varadkar knew of claims an Irish politician was working for the Russians when he as serving as Taoiseach
Leo Varadkar knew of claims an Irish politician was working for the Russians when he as serving as Taoiseach – and believed them, it has emerged. “He knew about the allegations and believed them to be credible,” a source close to Mr Varadkar has told the Irish Mirror.
A week after shock allegations emerged of a Russian spy was active in our parliament, the source confirmed that Mr Varadkar – who was Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and from December 2022 to March 2024 – was aware of the identity of the claimed spy. However, the source also confirmed that Mr Varadkar was not officially briefed on the alleged spy – and instead was informally told about it.
“He was never formally briefed, by the Garda Commissioner or (Defence Forces) Chief of Staff, but heard about it informally. He was tipped off about it within the last year, and definitely before he resigned as Taoiseach in March.
READ MORE: Irish politician accused of being Russian spy 'laughed off' repeated warnings about recruitment
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We understand that the then Taoiseach was informally briefed about the alleged spy by an official. But the fact that he was not formally briefed about the spy – nicknamed Agent Cobalt by the Sunday Times, which broke the story – mirrors what happened to Tánaiste Micheal Martin. Mr Martin was Taoiseach in late 2020 when it is alleged Cobalt had already been recruited by Russia - and uncovered by intelligence officials.
Mr Martin told The Dail on Tuesday he did not know the identity of the alleged spy. Responding to a question from Aontú leader Peadar Toibin, Mr Martin said he was taoiseach on the dates of the alleged activity referenced, and said he was “never told and never briefed that there was a spy in the Oireachtas”.
“I’m actually very surprised at the degree to which everybody herd-like have just grabbed on the story and said, ‘who is the person’,” he said.
“I’m absolutely amazed. There is a more fundamental question to be asked, which I am going to ask as Minister for Defence because as Minister for Defence I have never received a security briefing saying there is a spy in the Oireachtas.”
The source close to Mr Varadkar confirmed he was never formally briefed either – but knew about Cobalt.
The source said: “Leo is in the same boat as Michael Martin, but maybe he had a bigger grapevine. Micheal was obviously a bit irked by it…but obviously he wasn’t (briefed).”
The source also said Mr Varadkar believed Cobalt was working for the Russians – but at a low level.
The source close to the former Taoiseach said: “He does believe it to be true. He thinks it is more a case of a useful idiot than a spy. It was an informal briefing, the Commissioner or Chief did not sit him down to tell him about this. It was not that yer man ever did any harm or had access to any state secrets.
“He knew about the allegations and believed them to be credible. But it is important to stress that Leo knew the person had no access to security files. He was a useful idiot more so an effective spy.”
It’s understood Mr Varadkar received several briefings about foreign intelligence activities in Ireland – not confined to Russia.
But he said Mr Varadkar believed the real aim of Russian activity here was using Ireland as a training ground for bigger operations abroad.
“He was not naïve to the activities of intelligence services in Ireland,” the source said.
“But he would have been briefed from time to time on the activities of foreign intelligence services in Ireland – it was not just the Russians The general view for a long time was that the Russians were using Ireland as a training ground. The real aim in terms of honey traps and that type of thing is not an Irish (politician), it’s somebody in Britain or America.
“What they would have used Ireland for was training, which is one of the reasons why Ireland shut down their official operations. But God knows what they are doing unofficially.”
Mr Varadkar declined to comment when contacted by The Mirror on Monday.
The Mirror revealed last week that state security officials made several attempts to warn Cobalt as far back as 2020 about Russia's attempts to recruit him. But the man, whom we cannot name for legal reasons, did not engage with gardaí or military intelligence – both of whom were aware of Russia’s move on him.
We have also learned that intelligence officials have long suspected the parliamentarian was working for Russia. Sources have revealed that the man is regarded as an agent of influence in Ireland on behalf of the Russians.
“He would not be the classic definition of an asset or a spy,” one source said. “For one thing, he does not have access to state secrets. But he is there to disrupt and influence. He is a useful idiot for the Russians.”
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