Influence of Kerry on all sides of last week's drama
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Wednesday October 14 2009
WHILE the John O'Donoghue expenses controversy has many obvious, and well-documented, Kerry connections the political drama that played out in Leinster House last week has less familiar links to the Kingdom.
His downfall began with Labour leader Eamonn Gilmore's decision to put forward a motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle last Tuesday.
Gilmore's decision came, somewhat ironically, as he travelled back to Leinster House from Tralee, where he had addressed SIPTU's annual conference, on the Farranfore to Dublin flight so beloved of John O'Donoghue.
Gilmore, himself a former SIPTU representative in Tralee, had told RTÉ at Tralee's Brandon Hotel just that morning that he would not be seeking the Ceann Comhairle's head.
Shortly after delivering his keynote speech to the conference, in which he stated a Labour-led government was a distinct possibility, Gilmore told reporters outside that he was seeking a meeting with the leaders of the main political parties to discuss the O'Donoghue expenses issue.
During his flight from Kerry to Dublin the situation changed rapidly when it became apparent that neither the Taoiseach nor Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny would attend such a meeting. It was at this point that John O'Donoghue's fate was sealed.
As the Labour leader made his way to the Dáil the drama continued to unfold in the capital with several Kerry men at the centre of developments.
Fianna Fáil chief whip Pat Carey, from Castlemaine, was in detailed negotiations with John O'Donoghue and senior Fianna Fáil figures throughout last Tuesday right up until 10.30pm when Deputy O'Donoghue announced he was to resign.
Meanwhile, another Kerry man, Tralee-born Attorney General Paul Gallagher was working with his staff to finalise proposals for a complete overhaul of the TDs expenses system, which were due to be unveiled before the Oireactas Commission on Wednesday.
Another interesting factor in the saga is the Green Party conference which took place on Saturday.
This conference, which had the potential to bring down the government ahead of John O'Donoghue's resignation, thus ensuring his automatic reelection, was brought about by Green Senator Dan Boyle's surprise demand for a re-negotiation of the programme for government during the European elections.
Where did Senator Boyle make this call? You've guessed it. He made it in Kerry in front of the Ashe Hall on Tralee's Denny Street.
- SIMON BROUDER
