Hogan says Martin should withdraw ‘gerrymander’ claim

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has called on Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin to withdraw an "outrageous" claim that Mr Hogan 'gerrymandered' local election boundaries to benefit Fine Gael and Labour.

Mr Martin made the claim at his party’s ardfheis in Killarney this weekend, and said Mr Hogan micromanaged the changes in an “attempt to maximise Fine Gael and Labour seats in May”.

In a statement this afternoon, Mr Hogan said the process was managed by an independent committee and said Mr Martin’s comments were ironic, coming from “the leader of the most corrupt party in the history of the State”.

“Deputy Martin should withdraw his comments and apologise to the independent committee who gave freely of their time in preparing the report,” Mr Hogan said. “I am well used to political footballs but this one is nasty and it is a slur on the integrity of the members of the committee. This is what gets politics a bad name.

“I defy Deputy Martin to demonstrate how this report favours Fine Gael and Labour. The people are not fools and they will see this for what it is - Fianna Fáil reverting to gutter politics to which they are well accustomed.”

He also accused Mr Martin of “desperation in advance of the local elections” and said Fianna Fáil hadn’t previously said a “peep” about the boundary report, even though it was published nine months ago.

“I am calling on Deputy Martin to withdraw his outrageous comment. I’m sure with his and his party’s new found interest in honesty and integrity he will realise that is the right thing to do.”

During his opening address at the party’s ardfheis in Kilkenny this weekend, Mr Martin claimed Mr Hogan had micromanaged the boundary changes.

“He’s completely changed local authority boundaries and seat numbers to try and save as many of their seats as possible,” Mr Martin said.

“It is the biggest attempt to manipulate election boundaries in the 35 years since Fianna Fáil introduced independent Boundary Commissions,” he told delegates.