Tag Archives: John Deasy

One senior [local Fine Gael] member present at the meeting said that Mr Deasy, who has held a seat in Waterford for Fine Gael since 2002, “came in for severe and sustained criticism” from those present, and that none spoke in support of the backbencher.

“Speaker after speaker came out strongly against John Deasy and his workrate as sitting Fine Gael TD,” the member said.

A motion of no confidence was proposed by one member – not an elected representative – and seconded before being passed overwhelmingly by the meeting which was held in Lawlor’s Hotel in Dungarvan.

Waterford Fine Gael members pass no-confidence motion in TD (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

UDPATE:

Daniel McConnell, in The Irish Examiner, reports:

Speaking to the Irish Examiner this morning, Mr Deasy said that party bosses have long been aware of problems within the Waterford Fine Gael membership and have done nothing about it.

He said: “The entire Waterford organisation needs to be stood down and reviewed by headquarters; repeated warnings have been given by myself and other with regard to the behaviour of individuals in Waterford for years now.”

Tensions have long existed between the Deasy camp and supporters of Senator Paudie Coffey and Mr Deasy revealed that because of “constant bitching” at himself by members, he and his supporters had stopped going to meetings such as that held last night years ago.

“This is well beyond typical interparty, internecine rivalries,” he said.

Deasy calls for local FG organisation be stood down following motion of no confidence in him (Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner)

Related: John Deasy hits back after no confidence motion: ‘Fine Gael has ignored abuse and bullying for years’ (Kevin Doyle, Hugh O’Connell, Irish Independent)

UPDATE:

“After receiving a mandate from the Waterford electorate at the 2016 General Election, Fine Gael Deputy John Deasy was appointed special envoy to the US by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and has since been doing important work on a special visa scheme for Irish citizens.

“Fine Gael’s General Secretary Tom Curran will soon be consulting with members and elected representatives in Waterford on finalising the party’s General Election ticket for the constituency.

“One candidate, Senator Paudie Coffey, was previously selected at convention to contest the next General Election.”

Statement issued by Fine Gael this morning.

Via Daniel McConnell

 

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From top: Fine Gael TD John Deasy, Fianna Fáil TD McGuiness;  Minister of State with Responsibility for Disabilities Finian McGrath, of Independent Alliance, and Fine Gael TD Helen McEntee 

This morning.

In the Dáil.

Following Minister of State with Responsibility for Disabilities Finian McGrath’s publication yesterday of the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation into the case of ‘Grace’ and the foster home she lived in for 20 years…

Waterford Fine Gael TD John Deasy called on members of the Dáil to be sceptical of what the HSE has said to date about the Grace case and set out examples of why he believes there was and is a cover-up in relation to the foster home.

Kilkenny Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness said by accepting Mr McGrath’s terms of reference, and excluding other victims – 46 other people lived in the home – Dáil members were “heaping further abuse” on the families affected by the foster care home in the southeast of Ireland, saying: “We are now the abusers in this case.”

Mr McGuinness also recounted the harrowing experiences of other victims at the foster home.

Following their contributions, and that of other deputies, Mr McGrath announced that he is going to amend the current terms of reference – to make it explicit that the cases of the 46 other people would not be investigated in the second phase of the commission of investigation.

From the debate…

Mr Deasy said:

“What we discovered, myself and John McGuinness [Fianna Fail TD from Kilkenny] was that the first casualty was always the truth when dealing with the HSE and this issue. And I’d like to give you some examples of what is and was a cover-up.”

“The legal advice from the HSE from day one was to make Grace a ward of court to protect her. The HSE refused to do so. The reason? They had concerns about a judge asking awkward questions about HSE failings in this regard.”

“In June 2008, at the HSE Vulnerable Adults Committee, of the HSE, three options were discussed: one, do nothing; two, make her a ward of court; three, give the birth mother information under an FOI and risk her being made a ward of court as a result. It was noted at the meeting that, and I quote, ‘this would lead to a disastrous day in court as it would appear the HSE had done nothing’. The HSE took option one, did nothing, and denied the information the birth mother was entitled to under the FOI.”

“The agency caring for Grace were then refused any information, medical or otherwise, because the HSE didn’t want the agency to discover their failings. Conor Dignam found that to be a breach of duty, in the duty of care to Grace because she suffered trauma needlessly and started to self-harm as a result.”

“The agency then went about making her a ward of court themselves which would they legally mandate information to be imparted and would allow a solicitor to instruct for Grace. The HSE then told the agency not to do it. And said the agency could not take actions unapproved by the HSE. They were reminded, the agency, that the HSE was it’s sole funder.”

“The whistleblower told the HSE they were going ahead with wardship, the HSE contacted her manager and board of directors and pressurised them not to proceed. The HSE wrote to her line manager with fabricated information, alleging poor professional conduct.”

“The High Court then chose the whistleblower as the legal committee for Grace when she again asked for information regarding medical and psychological care, the HSE again refused. The HSE then wrote to the High Court, this is my favourite part, they wrote to the High Court saying the whistleblower wasn’t fulfilling her duties because she didn’t have the proper assessments and information even though they were the ones withholding the information. Pretty twisted stuff that was kafkaesque.”

“Then, one HSE official innocently gave the whistleblower a psychological report on Grace when her HSE bosses found out, they accused her, the whistleblower, through a solicitor, of being aggressive and abusive and not a fit person to represent Grace.”

“When the HSE official who gave the report originally and innocently found this out, she actually signed a statement setting out it was a complete fabrication by the HSE. For five years, the Conal Devine report sat on a shelf, the HSE refused to give it to anyone.”

“On March 5, 2015, the PAC [public accounts committee] announced it had received a disclosure about non-publication of the Devine Report. The next day, the HSE first wrote to the gardai to seek the go-ahead to publish. When they came before the PAC, that’s some coincidence.”

“When they came before the PAC, they told us the protected disclosures had been fully investigated, they had not been. They told there were no procurement issues, Dignam found that there were. They told us that the people who decided to keep Grace in placement in 1996 had all retired, they had not. They told us that the gardai had stopped them publishing the [Devine] report, the gardai had not. They told us they apologised to Grace and her mother, they had not.”

“So was this a conspiracy, a cover-up? Yes its was. As I said before, this was a concerted and organised attempt to hide information and conceal the truth by a clique of HSE managers. This was an orchestrated attempt to protect officials and an organisation who fail people in State care in a catastrophic manner on a number of levels.”

Mr McGuinness said:

“The terms in relation to the terms of reference is one that now cannot be amended, is my understanding. And yet it’s a motion that actually needs to be amended. And following our discussion with you last night, minister, and the whistleblowers, I believe that you should amend this motion.”

“It is simply not possible that we should, or it is not acceptable that we should carry this motion today in the context of the terms of reference when we know so much about this that is wrong. And what we are doing here, in this debate, and in accepting your terms of reference, we’re heaping further abuse on those families. We are now the abusers in this case. That is what is happening here. And let me explain why, minister, you know, you know this.”

“The whistleblower, first and foremost, exhausted every single avenue in the HSE, they tried everything to highlight the case and they weren’t listened to. They were forced to come to the public accounts committee to deal with a procurement issue about the reports that have cost this state almost €400,000 and it was out of that examination that came the story, not just of Grace, that’s a neat way of packaging it. It’s not just Grace, it’s Grace and 46 others that we need to look at. So we need to find out what happened within the HSE that covered up all of this scandal since 1982 – that’s what we need to do.”

“We need to go back before Grace and we need to maybe humanise this story. What about the young girl, at 12 years of age, that was taken out of that home? And this was before Grace. Taken out of that home because her mother was told by the school that she was attending school, bruised and beaten and neglected. And when that mother made complaints in 1992, to the health board, she was told to shut up. She was told not to repeat those stories. And she was threatened legally.”

“When she took her child out of that care. She then had to seek care in Northern Ireland. Because the South Eastern Health Board wouldn’t support her. How disgusting is that?”

“And she’s not going to be included in this report? And let’s put real words on it. She was battered, bruised, she was sexually abused, financially abused. And sexually abused anally so that today that woman has a life of pain and suffering and you’re not going to investigate her case? We should be ashamed of ourselves.”

“What about the young boy that was there? Who, when he heard about Grace came out and said: if only I had spoken up about what happened to me then Grace might not have happened at all. And he carries that burden with him, he carries that burden with him.”

“And then Grace. She turns up at the day care centre five-foot high, five kilos and they say, the doctor’s report says that she was ‘slim and well’. Now if that’s not an attempt to cover up what was happening in that home, then, I don’t know what is.”

“She was battered, bruised, sexually abused anally, deprived of her money, neglected. Is neglect not abuse in itself? And you’ve listened to some of the parents. I listened to a parent this morning for one hour and she cried about the abuse that her daughter suffered. And she cried about the quality of life that she now has.”

“And I spoke to the carer this morning who cried bitter tears again, over the fact they were not being listened to. This was a major cover-up by the HSE. It was an astonishing set of events that has led to lives being destroyed and we are now here, discussing a set of terms of reference that are inadequate and that were not recommended by DIgnam.”

“He said, and you know this minister, stop covering up. You know this. His terms of reference are far more robust than what you have put in here and he refers to the fact that the other cases need to be investigated. I fully support the investigation in terms of Grace but the other ones, the other ones, they would not, minster, and you know this. You know this. And you’ve heard the public commentary last night. Where you were being told that we are further abusing these families and these individuals because we’re neglecting to take on board what the whisteblowers actually said, what Dignam actually said. And if we pass this, in this house, we should be ashamed of ourselves. I certainly won’t support it.”

UPDATE:

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Further to the contributions of Fine Gael TD John Deasy and Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness (above) and other deputies…

Minister of State with Responsibility for Disabilities Finian McGrath said:

“Nobody will be excluded. It was always my intention that there would be second phase to this commission to investigate the care and decision-making in respect of others, as well as Grace. Nobody will be excluded. And I say again, leas ceann comhairle, nobody will be excluded.”

“However, and I accept this one, I have listened to Brendan Howlin, David Cullinane, John McGuinness, and Margaret Murphy O’Mahony, I have listened, and to other deputies, to the concerns expressed here and for the avoidance of any doubt, I’ve decided to recommend to Government that we make this completely explicit in the terms of reference.

“I want to repeat: that my objective was to have a clear focus on the care of Grace, as a first phase of this work and I’m standing by this. There have already been a series of reports into the care of Grace but the facts of actually what happened and the reasons for certain key decisions are still not clear. And I accept your arguments on that. The commission provides to call witnesses and to hear the evidence so that we can finally learn the truth.”

“…I intend to circulate revised terms of reference to put at ease the minds of those who are concerned about the imperative for the cases of others to be investigated in a second phase.”

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From top: John McGuinness, of Fianna Fáil; Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone

Last night.

During the ‘statements of clarification’ session in the Dáil.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was asked a million many times to state when he first became aware of the smear campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe.

At one point, he had the following exchange with Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: “Will the Taoiseach tell us when he first became aware of that smear against Garda Sergeant McCabe?”

Enda Kenny: “I became aware of it the same as most of the rest of the nation, which was after the Prime Time programme.”

This is despite the fact Labour TD Brendan Howlin spoke about the campaign during Leaders’ Questions the day before the Prime Time programme was broadcast.

Readers will also recall how that supposed conversation he had with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone, prior to her meeting Sgt Maurice McCabe, never happened…

Further to this…

Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness – who has previously said he was warned not to trust Sgt Maurice McCabe by then Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in a car park of Bewley’s Hotel on the Naas Road on January 24, 2014 – accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny of knowing about the allegations being made against Sgt Maurice McCabe ‘a long time ago’.

Readers will note that, in the Sunday Independent at the weekend, Philip Ryan reported that Mr McGuinness claimed Mr Callinan made false child abuse allegations – about Sgt McCabe – to Mr McGuinness during that meeting in 2014.

From last night’s session…

John McGuinness: “We’re here discussing this public inquiry because of the fact that the McCabe family have no trust whatsoever in a private inquiry. We’ve had enough of them. And, in relation to the smear campaign, why is it that we cannot admit that ,for the last number of years, for anyone who wished to stop and listen to what was being said in this house…I’ll deal with the car park in a minute…why is it that when we were told what was happening in relation to Maurice McCabe, anyone that supported him, was sold this narrative that he was a sex abuser. That he had abused people sexually. And that’s what they said. And therefore, those that supported him were knocked off of their support by virtue of that gossip and that innuendo and that accusation.”

“So the fact of the matter is: that while that was going on, the Tusla file existed. So how many gardai knew about that Tusla file? How many in this house knew about the allegations that were being made? And when he appeared before the public accounts committee, the great efforts were made by this house – and by members within it – to stop him from coming forward. That’s why we’re here today.”

“Because we have ignored Maurice McCabe and the other Maurice McCabes that exist out there. And if we’re to have any public inquiry into this then we have to take into consideration, the culture that has sent all of those people out sick, some of them struggling now with mental illness. And we cannot ignore those people. And the Government cannot ignore them. But how many within Government knew about those, about these allegations that were being made? Even though it might have been gossip. It was gossip that was being spread maliciously, to take you off your game and not to support Maurice McCabe. And all of us, in this house, knew what was going on.”

Enda Kenny: “I think it’s obvious Deputy McGuinness that the entire country feels sympathy with the pressure and stress and distress of the McCabe family. Now am I, am I right or not or did you have a meeting with the former commissioner of the gardai [Martin Callinan] and did you hear information, relevant to a smear campaign against Garda McCabe? And if you did, what did you do about it?”

McGuinness: “I knew about it Taoiseach because you knew long time ago about the accusations that were being made against Maurice McCabe. Everyone in this house knew and great efforts were made to derail Maurice McCabe and the story he was telling. Everyone knew. And the fact of the matter is, that it was a deliberate attempt to undermine Maurice McCabe, a deliberate attempt.”

Frances Fitzgerald: “[inaudible]…you say you had your meeting. That would have meant that some of these issues that you were told about would have been dealt with in the O’Higgins commission…”

McGuinness: “On legal advice, minister, I followed legal advice.”

Fitzgerald: “But… you followed legal advice… and like Minister [Katherine] Zappone, I didn’t want to give legs to something that was totally untrue…”

Fitzgerald: “Then what are you saying…”

McGuinness: “…I felt myself that it was untrue. And that’s the fact of the matter but you did nothing about Maurice McCabe.”

Fitzgerald: “Sorry, deputy, you didn’t want to act on legal advice…but you had direct information, deputy, which is more than many people or anybody in this house had.”

Later – after Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty asked Mr McGuinness to correct his claim that ‘everyone in the house’ knew

McGuinness: “Those of us that were clearly associated with supporting Maurice McCabe, knew about this and not everyone in the house.”

Meanwhile…

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Fine Gael TD John Deasy

Last night.

On RTÉ’s Prime Time.

Prime Time‘s political correspondent Katie Hannon interview Waterford Fine Gael TD John Deasy.

Mr Deasy explained to Ms Hannon that, on the same day the former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan appeared before the Public Accounts Committee – and made his “disgusting” remark – he was approached by a senior garda who warned him not to trust Sgt Maurice McCabe.

He explained he lobbied Taoiseach Enda Kenny after the garda’s approach.

John Deasy: “Before the meeting, I was approached by a very senior guard and he proceeded to make some very derogatory comments about Maurice McCabe. The nature of which were, Maurice McCabe couldn’t be believed and couldn’t be trusted on anything. They were very, very derogatory. It was a serious attack and very strongly worded.”

“Maurice McCabe was in the Public Accounts Committee the following Thursday and I thought that he was credible and I made that judgement.”

Katie Hannon: “You’re quoted after that meeting, actually, in newspaper reports, as saying he’s a credible witness, he’s responsible and knowledgeable in his answers. How did you square that with what you had been told about him, by this senior garda.”

Deasy: “I formulated a view that he was correct. I think that I and others realised that there was a campaign against Maurice McCabe, to undermine his character…”

Hannon: “Being run by who?”

Deasy: “The gardai.”

Hannon: “At a senior level?”

Deasy: “Yeah and I had first-hand, you know, contact of that..”

Hannon: “So what did you do with this information?”

Deasy: “A couple of weeks later, I was having a meeting with Enda Kenny in Government buildings and, after that, it was on a separate issue, I asked to meet with him privately about Maurice McCabe and the entire affair. He would have known that that was significant. It’s not something I would have done every day. Probably twice in 15 years. And at that meeting, I said to him that I believed that Maurice McCabe would be vindicated. That he was being treated extremely badly. And that he was genuine and that this needed to be handled completely differently.”

Hannon: “And how did he respond to that?”

Deasy: “You know, he listened, he acknowledged it and the meeting ended. I do know, at the time, that another individual in Fine Gael was making a similar case to one of this cabinet colleagues, at the same time. And was being ignored and really wasn’t getting anywhere, was begin dismissed with regard to how the whistleblowers were being dealt with at the time and the treatment that was being meted out to them.”

Later

Deasy: “I really can’t defend anyone in Government when it comes to Maurice McCabe.”

Meanwhile…

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Also on RTE’s Prime Time last night.

Former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte (above) told David McCullough how a garda told him of the false allegation against Sgt Maurice McCabe back in 2014.

David McCullough: “You were sitting at cabinet for some of the period when all this was going on. Did you hear rumours about Maurice McCabe? The smears about Maurice McCabe?”

Pat Rabbitte: “I did, yes. Maurice McCabe approached me at the end of 2006 or early 2007, about policing difficulties and malfeasance and he had a major, thorough file. And I helped him or advised him, on the confidential basis he sought as best I could. But, when the incident blew up in 2013/14  – probably early 2014 – I was asked on a programme like this, that same question. And I explained that I did indeed know Maurice McCabe as an upstanding and, in my view, an honest, conscientious policeman.”

“And I was approached that night by a friend of mine, who’s a retired garda, to say that he didn’t know that I had any knowledge of Maurice McCabe and that I better be careful because did I not know what was going around and he, graphically, told me what was going ’round.”

McCullough: “And did you tell anyone about that?”

Rabbitte: “No, nobody. I thought it was foul gossip. I didn’t believe there was anything to it. And I didn’t think it should be given legs. But I did express my view publicly and privately about the probity and integrity of Maurice McCabe.”

McCullough: “But, if he was being traduced like that behind the scenes, was there not an obligation, on a politician, to somebody, whether it was the Minister for Justice, whether it was the Taoiseach?”

Rabbitte: “I think, in hindsight, you might be right. In hindsight, you may be right. But, you know, you could say the same about your own profession and you could say the same about others who were told about it.”

Previously: How Did He Get Here?

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John Deasy TD

You may recall John Deasy’s interview with Richard Crowley on RTÉ’s News At One yesterday in which he rounded on his party’s leadership in fairly splutter-making fashion.

Here’s the transcript.

Apologies for the delay.

Grab a tay.

John Deasy: “I think it’s probably indicative of what’s been going on in Fine Gael for some time. I think the calculation from the Taoiseach is that he can pretty much do anything he wants right now. And as long as the economy continues to improve, the public really won’t care and, you know, maybe he’s right.”

Richard Crowley: “What was said last night, at the parliamentary party meeting or, rather, what answers did you get to the questions that you asked?”

Deasy: “Well, no answers whatsoever. We all know what happened. It really was a case of pointing that out and asking for some accountability with regard to the process here, which was clearly manipulated and abused and, you know, this appointment to the IMMA board was to construct a credential, to allow Mr McNulty to pursue the Senate nomination.”

Crowley: “Do you not accept his bona fides, in terms of his suitability, as a candidate for that particular panel on the Senate?”

Deasy: “Not after reading the Irish Independent today, to be honest with you. I didn’t realise a High Court judge, I didn’t realise a complaint had been lodged, I didn’t realise that a High Court judge was sitting, I didn’t realise that people were not informed that the appointment to the board, made a few days previously, so no, the whole thing was bit of a farce. So, no, I, no is the answer.”

Crowley: “Who appointed him to the board of IMMA?”

Deasy: “The IMMA mechanism, or vehicle, was constructed, besides the point. This really was about just putting somebody into the Senate, building a profile and running them in a general election and it’s not, what came across very clearly , last night in the parliamentary party, was, people are getting sick of the way this is being conducted and it doesn’t really strike people as being what we, as a party, phrased as new politics.”

Crowley: “I want to come back to that more substantive point in a moment. But just on the appointment of John McNulty to IMMA, it was the Minister for Arts and Culture [Heather Humphreys] who appointed him and she would have done so, one would presume, at the request of the Taoiseach.”

Deasy: “I presume so, yeah.”

Crowley: “And she would have, should have satisfied herself, as to his credentials, as a board member surely, one would imagine that anyway?”

Deasy: ”I wouldn’t imagine that at all. I’d say she did what she was told to do.”

Crowley: “Without asking any questions?”

Deasy: “Possibly, yeah.”

Crowley: “She was at your parliamentary party meeting last night.”

Deasy: “ Yeah.”

Crowley: “Did she answer any questions in that regard?”

Deasy: “I don’t believe so.”

Crowley: “Did you, what questions did you ask her? that she did answer?”

Deasy: “Nobody asked any questions of the minister.”

Crowley: “Did she have anything to say?”

Deasy: “No, it was slightly embarrassing that it occurred in that way. But that is unfortunately what happened yeah.”

Crowley: “Did anybody speak up for the party, in a sense that, did anybody defend what has happened?”

Deasy: “At the end of…about 12, maybe 15, people got up and asked for some accountability with regards to the decisions that had been taken and I think a few people did…probably what was most uncomfortable for the meeting was that a few people expressed the view that, if it was something that Fianna Fáil, or akin to something that Fianna Fáil would have done years ago, so what. And that the economy was improving and and that people would forget about it in a couple of days and that we should be allowed to do whatever we like. It was an uncomfortable viewpoint. It was countered by one particular deputy, very strongly, that, you know, I didn’t join this party, to be Fianna Fail-light, so I think the essence and the mood of the meeting was that it was a ridiculous standpoint and that people deserve some accountability with regard to, as I said, the manipulation and the abuse of the system.

Crowley: “But was there a sense this is not just about John McNulty in IMMA, this is about other appointments, this is about how the party operates, generally?”

Deasy: “I think that the parliamentary party is very happy with the way Michael Noonan is running the economy. I think people are becoming disgusted with the way Fine Gael is being run, if that answers your question? And I think it wasn’t just about Mr McNulty’s nomination, I think it was about a lot of things within the parliamentary party. I think an element of insecurity, pettiness, has grown into the party leadership and I think people are getting sick of it. It is an atmosphere of total non-criticism, even if it’s reasonable and constructive and I think it’s fair to say that the Taoiseach, who likes to give his mobile phone number out to the world, doesn’t really engage or entertain criticism. In actual fact, reacts against it, which is unfortunate. And I think that sense and that atmosphere, within the parliamentary is growing and I think it’s destructive. And I think what we got last night was a taste of people reacting to it, and I think the McNulty issue gave people an opportunity to vent, yeah. “

Crowley: “Is there a sense that the power is being centralised and, not alone is it being centralised but it is now revolving around a cohort of a number of key individuals, some of whom were elected, and some of whom are not, these are unelected advisors?”

Deasy: “A bit more than that, I think that’s the case in any Government. I think it kind of resides in a couple of people’s decision-making ability. I think that’s not abnormal, I think it’s a lot to do with the people who’ve been appointed to particular positions, very senior positions in some cases. By all accounts, the credentials for those positions or those promotions seem to be, well, one, if you can grovel to the Taoiseach long enough and, secondly, if you can read a script and I think you’re in. If you can do both those things. With regard to real ability in the party, it’s completely overlooked and it’s down to being a supporter of the Taoiseach or not.”

Crowley: “What positions are you talking about?”

Deasy: “A lot. Not a cast of thousands, but a lot.”

Crowley: “Such as?”

Deasy: “A lot.”

Crowley: “But that’s a bit of a scattergun accusation, John…”

Deasy: “Not if you’re in Fine Gael and you’re there long enough, I think it’s a lot.”

Crowley: “But can you give me an example of …”

Deasy: “I’m not going to pick out particular individuals, no…”

Crowley: “But you’re not talking about particular appointments, of people as ministers are you?”

Deasy: “Yeah, I am, of course I am.”

Crowley: “Again…that’s a bit of a wide accusation, can you focus it a bit more? What are you talking about? Or are you talking about all..”

Deasy: “Well I think did focus it. I think it’s very clear what I’m saying. I’m saying people aren’t qualified for the positions that they’re getting and the requisite qualifications are loyalty and being able to, in some cases, just about read a script. Some of these senior positions affect people’s lives in this country. And I think it is serious and I think that some people, who have been appointed, even to Cabinet, are unfit for those positions…and I think that’s very serious. And I think we’re seeing some of it recently. I think that it’s common knowledge within Fine Gael unfortunately. And I think last night people, for the first time being able to vent that opinion, people are just getting sick of it.”

Crowley: “This could be read as the resentment of the young turks who were passed over for power?”

Deasy: “Yeah and I can imagine that that will be the reaction to this. Unfortunately, if you go back to Fota [where the Fine Gael think-in took place recently], you go back to the reaction to Leo Varadkar doing his job properly , I think you get a sense of the atmosphere within Fine Gael. Leo shouldn’t have been appointed to that position if people didn’t expect him to do his job. The reaction to what he’s been doing, which is very sensible, is borne out of insecurity and pettiness. People don’t like reasonable, substantive criticism within Fine Gael, if it affects certain individuals, their profile. Even if the individual in question or the minister in question is doing their job correctly and properly, you know, I’m afraid they’re down for a slapping down.”

Crowley: “And how does that slapping down manifest itself? How is dissent silenced?”

Deasy: “It’s silenced by non-preferment with regard to promotion in many cases, subtle threats with regard to nominations, when it comes to the General Election. In many ways, it’s made clear to people – and there’s a sense of fear within the parliamentary party these days that, if you don’t toe the line, well then you’ll be punished. That has been carried out over a number of years and I suppose in all political parties, there’s an element of that but it’s got to the point now where people are becoming disgusted by the way Fine Gael is being run and I think last night [parliamentary party meeting] was a venting of that.”

Crowley: “If it’s as bad as you say it is, you should surely resign from the party.”

Deasy: “No my family has represented Fine Gael since the 1960s. I don’t believe it’s representative of Fine Gael as a political party, I think there are elements within Fine Gael that are unrepresentative of the entire grassroots and representation ranks within Fine Gael, so no I’m not going to do that. I think it’s important that people actually say how they feel about what’s going on. Again I think the calculation is that pretty much anything can be done to any individual and, as long the economy improves, no-one really cares in the public and maybe they’re right. But I think it’s important for some people in Fine Gael to actually stop this now cause it’s ugly.”

Crowley: “And is the Taoiseach at the heart of this?”

Deasy: “Well I think it’s very clear from what I’m saying that he is, yes.”

Crowley: “He’s directing it?”

Deasy: “Yeah, course he is.”

Crowley: “What should John McNulty do, or how should Fine Gael fix this mess over IMMA and the nominations?”

Deasy: “I think he should step down, I think if we preach new politics and have done so with regard to the appointments to State boards and I think if it’s clear that there’s been a manipulation of the process here, I think he should step down from this. It’s not a big deal, he won’t be in the Senate but he’ll probably still run for the general election for Fine Gael. Will that happen? I doubt it.”

Listen back here

Previously: The Artless Dodgers

Deasy Does It

Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Update:

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Enda Kenny with Fine Gael TD John Deasy in 2010

Fine Gael TD John Deasy – responding to this – tears his party a new one on the News at One on RTÉ Radio One.

Transcript to follow.

UPDATE:

Some  early choice quotes:

“People aren’t qualified for the positions they’re getting. The requisite qualifications are loyalty and – in some cases – being just about able to read a script.”

“People don’t like reasonable, substantive criticism within Fine Gael, if it affects certain individuals, their profile. Even if the individual in question, or the minister in question is doing their job, correctly and properly, I’m afraid they’re down for a slapping down.”

“[Dissent] is silenced by non-preferment with regard to promotion in many cases, subtle threats with regard to nominations, when it comes to the General Election. In many ways, it’s made clear to people – and there’s a sense of fear within the parliamentary party these days that, if you don’t toe the line, well then you’ll be punished. That has been carried out over a number of years and, I suppose in all political parties, there’s an element of that but it’s got to the point now where people are becoming disgusted by the way Fine Gael is being run and I think last night [parliamentary party meeting] was a venting of that.”

Asked if the Taoiseach Enda Kenny was at the “heart of this” problem, Deasy said:

“Well I think it’s very clear from what I’m saying that he is, yeah.”

Ooooh.

More to follow.

Earlier: The Process is The One That Fine Gael Has Always Followed 

‘It’s The All Boys’ Club In Action Again’