Jackie: 'Cold, hard winter ahead'
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Wednesday October 14 2009
DEPUTY Jackie Healy Rae predicted a cold, hard winter for outgoing Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue as his constituency rival cut a path to the back benches.
Speaking in the wake of the Cahersiveen man's passionate speech on Tuesday, Deputy Healy Rae was conspicuous by his absence from the Dáil chamber. The official excuse was a trapped nerve – the Kilgarvan man was granted permission off by Chief Whip Pat Carey.
Some 200 miles away from the heat of the action, the 78-year-old was still an avid spectator.
"I'm not being funny but I don't ever remember him on the back benches and so he will have a cold, hard winter," he commented.
Referring to his former role as Director of Elections for Mr O'Donoghue, Deputy Healy Rae said he had sympathy for his rival and credited his gains for Kerry as Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism. But he added that the current situation was very much his own making.
"There's been no extraordinary charge but something serious must have happened for him to be sidelined and lose the post. If he did nothing wrong then he'd be there this evening.
"I thought he could cover his tracks but when he mentioned a €900 bed and stood over the hiring of taxis in the airport, then no one would buy that?
"To spend more on his Dublin office than it costs the Oval office is beyond me – I've read the reports of a new chair and €11,000 curtains and people don't buy into it."
Despite the events, the Kilgarvan man confided that he hadn't expected Mr O'Donoghue's resignation.
"If you'd asked me three weeks ago, as a betting man I would have said no way would he go. He should have taken my advice and explained everything at the beginning."
- KEVIN HUGHES
