Kenny cannot bring himself to say the F word

Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday put the political equivalent of the Irish Sea, which he later flew over, between himself and former close Fine Gael associate Frank Flannery.

Kenny took Opposition Leaders' Questions in the Dáil before leaving for last night's Windsor Castle banquet. The political fare served up in the Dáil by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin must have left a bad taste in the Taoiseach's mouth.

Martin said he hoped that Flannery and former Rehab chief executive Angela Kerins would attend the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) tomorrow, as requested. Flannery, who recently resigned from the Rehab board and as a Fine Gael strategist, was, said Martin, allegedly being paid by the charity to lobby the Government.

Martin put the boot in.

“Was the Taoiseach aware at any stage that Mr Flannery was being paid by Rehab to lobby Ministers and departments? Does he agree with me that there is a serious question mark over the ethical correctness of such action?’’

Kenny said he would have no information about any dealings Rehab would have with any individual. “None at all,’’ he added.

“And my only engagements with the man you mention were purely political in terms of elections and constituencies and so on.’’

There was no mention of Flannery by name by the Taoiseach.

Right and proper
Moving swiftly along, the Taoiseach noted the Government was bringing in legislation regulating lobbying. It was only right and proper that there should be full accountability and transparency on those matters.

He made it clear he believed that anybody associated with charitable organisations should go before the PAC.

Martin had no difficulty in again mentioning Flannery by name, and he challenged the Taoiseach to say if it was “right and ethically correct’’ for Rehab to pay one of its directors to lobby Government Ministers and departments.

Flannery, he said, had unparalleled access to Ministers with a Leinster House pass provided by Fine Gael.

Lobbying
Kenny said Rehab would have to answer if it had paid anybody for lobbying. He met many people and he did not know if they were paid by organisations. He referred again to the proposed legislation on lobbying.

Martin intervened to ask him again if it was right for a director of a charity to lobby politicians.

“I don’t believe that charitable organisations should pay personnel to lobby Government Ministers or anybody else,’’ Kenny replied.

Opposition Leaders' Question over, the Taoiseach left Minister Richard Bruton in charge of the Order of Business and left for London. Kenny and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams had stressed the importance of President Higgins's visit, with the Taoiseach noting that Martin McGuinness had said he was visiting the queen's house.

“Some house!’’ said the Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach must have found the conversation at the Windsor Castle banquet more congenial than the verbal onslaught from Martin on an embarrassing issue for Fine Gael.