Kenny says Halligan must ‘devote’ himself to his responsibilities

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has called on John Halligan to “devote himself” to his responsibilities as a junior minister amid a row that threatens to derail the Government.

A number of Fine Gael Ministers want Mr Kenny to consider the position of the Waterford Independent TD as a Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation.

Mr Halligan has been in dispute with Fine Gael over the issue of a second catheterisation lab at University Hospital Waterford, despite an independent clinical review recommending against such a move.

In an interview given by Mr Halligan to the Sunday Independent, he threatened to “bring all hell down” on top of the Government if it failed to deliver the catheterisation lab.

It is understood several key Ministers found the language used by Mr Halligan in the Sunday Independent interview as “unacceptable”.

Mr Kenny was speaking ahead of the two-day Fine Gael parliamentary party gathering which begins in Newbridge, Co Kildare on Monday afternoon and includes sessions on the upcoming budget, rebuilding Fine Gael, mental health and homelessness and the Government’s recently published housing action plan.

‘Under pressure’

Reports on the party’s poor general election performance and recommendations on how the party can improve will also be presented.

Speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk radio on Monday, the Taoiseach said the language the Independent TD had used was not "suitable".

“John Halligan is a very direct individual. I don’t find that language suitable, I understand him being under pressure and speaking out really plainly,” he said. “You cannot have a situation where every week somebody is holding the Government to ransom.”

Mr Kenny said Mr Halligan has responsibilities at national level to look after. “John Halligan as a Minister for State for two departments has a level of responsibility at national level,” he said. “I would like to hear him devote himself to those responsibilities.

“Obviously I expect people to do their job in the way that they can represent their constituency,” the Taoiseach told Pat Kenny.

“The Taoiseach of the day can only appoint or sack ministers, it takes a Cabinet decision to remove a minister.”

One Minister told the Irish Times they have “had enough” of the Waterford TD’s criticisms of Fine Gael.

Another said Mr Halligan’s position would be a key point of discussion at the Fine Gael away day in Co Kildare.

“It is the prerogative of the Taoiseach as to who should have a Ministerial position but this is unacceptable.

“He cannot expect respect from Fine Gael when he refuses to show the party any. There will be a few of us having a word with the Taoiseach today.”

It is understood Mr Halligan is to meet consultants at Waterford Regional Hospital to discuss the findings of an independent report commissioned by Minister for Health Simon Harris.

Mr Halligan is understood to have decided not to stand aside from his position and will continue with his engagements from Tuesday.

‘Mojo back’

Also in the interview, Mr Kenny declared he has got his “mojo back” and is ready to go “flat out” in Government after a summer of reflection.

The Fine Gael leader said that while he did not enjoy the last general election, the party still ended up being the largest in the Dáil.

“I just didn’t enjoy it, I always enjoy being out meeting people but I just didn’t this time,” he said.

“I’ve reflected on this during the summer and as they say, I’ve got my mojo back.

“We’ve got a huge agenda in front of us and I intend to go flat out as head of a partnership Government.”

Mr Kenny said the Government was ready to tackle big issues including a “very sensitive” Budget, the post Brexit fall out, and the Apple tax controversy.

Mr Kenny said there was a three year signed agreement with Fianna Fáil for three budgets with a review in 2018.

In response to whether he is the best person to handle the number of upcoming complex issues, or how potential future Fine Gael leaders may deal with them, Mr Kenny said: “Anybody in this position has to do the best they can.

“I’ve pretty substantial experience of understanding the mechanics of European politics and holding things together here at home. You don’t have a sliding scale of good, better, best.

“I have a mandate from the Dáil as head of Government and I’m not going to walk away from that mandate.”

Dublin Bus

Mr Kenny said he had spoken with Minister for Transport Shane Ross about the Dublin Bus strikes.

“He can’t interfere in the sense he can’t give a direction here but he does show an interest in it and we’ll keep a very close eye,” he said. “We don’t have a blank cheque for any and all of the many demands that are here now.

“The situation is that the state doesn’t have money to inject in all of these things, the demands are enormous.”

Mr Kenny said he hoped a “compromise and solution” could be agreed between the unions representing the workers and management.

In relation to the European Commission’s competition ruling ordering Apple to pay €13 billion to Ireland, Mr Kenny said the decision was “profoundly wrong”.

“We are entitled as a sovereign nation to set the level of corporate tax that we believe is appropriate as an attractive element for foreign direct investment here to create jobs and opportunities for people to work and live in our country.”

Mr Kenny said if the decision was to be accepted by Ireland, it would send a “signal of having wilfully and intentionally involved ourselves in something illegal”

Mr Kenny said the commission was not entitled to determine Ireland would become “a global tax collector for Apple” as some of the €13 billion could belong to other countries.

“Apple have paid what they’re due on the profits and economic activity in this country,” he said.

Brexit

Mr Kenny described Brexit as a “mess of complete confusion for hundreds of thousands of people”.

He said it was appropriate that British prime minister Theresa May should have some time to reflect on what Britain wanted.

“The best place that Britain would be to have access to the single market, as is now, but that means they must accept one of the fundamental principles, which is migration and free movement of people,” he said.

Mr Kenny stressed negotiations would not begin until Ms May triggered Article 50.

He said that Europe would want to maintain the peace process in Northern Ireland after the UK left the union.

“The peace process is the one thing that all Europeans do understand, and it is the fulcrum through which continued assistance, subsidy and subvention to Northern Ireland could come,” he said.

“Europe will want to maintain the peace process that’s been fragile and under strain in some cases now and again... I’d see a mechanism of stabilising and sustaining the peace process.”

The Taoiseach emphasised that nobody wanted to see a return of the “hard border” between the Republic and Northern Ireland.

“You might have some controls, but not in the way of a full scale stopping of every vehicle,” he said.

Mr Kenny said there would be a further “spike” in the number of people applying for an Irish passports.

He said the Irish Ambassador in Britain had confirmed the number of applications had doubled in recent months.