Frontbench reaction: Fianna Fáil TDs are being "eminently sensible" in setting up a backbench committee to influence party policy, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday.
The Fianna Fáil leader dismissed as "rubbish" suggestions that the move pointed to discontent among rank-and-file TDs over their role within the party.
"How could it be [described as] discontent when a group of TDs come to me and tell me they want to have an input into the party's manifesto? If they didn't want to engage in that democratic process then I would be worried," he said. Mr Ahern denied that the development had come as a surprise to him, saying he was told about it by one of those behind the move, Dún Laoghaire TD Barry Andrews, a month ago.
However, another TD centrally involved in setting up the committee, Carlow-Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, said he and his colleagues had not had time to inform Mr Ahern of their plans in full.
"Barry Andrews informed the Taoiseach of the notion of this. It's been talked about on and off and it's an idea that I had," said Mr McGuinness. "It came together very quickly over the last few days and the Taoiseach knew about it loosely, if you want to put it that way. But it was leaked to the paper that these discussions were going on . . . and last night when we learned that, we informed the Taoiseach that it would probably be in the paper today."
There was "absolutely no disunity" within Fianna Fáil, Mr Ahern said. "Where that notion might have come from absolutely baffles me."
He had read yesterday morning that the move to establish the new committee was a secret and had taken him by surprise. "That's just total nonsense, but sure I suppose it sells papers," he said.
The Taoiseach said it was hugely important that before the party's election manifesto was finalised, the ideas and suggestions of the party's TDs, Senators and MEPs were taken fully into account.
"That's all the backbenchers seek, and of course they want to engage with Ministers in these issues, and that quite frankly is their right," he said.
Asked when he had been informed of the plan to set up the committee, he replied: "Oh, when Barry Andrews came to me about a month ago."
Mr Ahern also said he had been listening to claims that parliamentary party meetings were undemocratic since he was a backbencher himself. He agreed with Mr Andrews that the format could be improved, as sometimes debates could go on for a very long time. However, he believed the Oireachtas committee system did a "good job" in ensuring that TDs had an input into the policy development.
Speaking in Cork, Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin said he "would welcome any way that TDs want to improve their communications with Ministers and want to create new ways and new forums of creating policy and formulating policies."
Mr Martin strongly rejected any suggestion that the Cabinet was out of touch with backbenchers and said he met with backbenchers regularly.
"The Cabinet is not out of touch at all, the issue is that in terms of formulating policies and particularly in terms of formulating policies for the next general election, deputies want to create vehicles for themselves to do that and I personally don't have a problem with that.
"I wasn't aware that this particular group was being formed but I look forward to meeting with the deputies to hear more. I know some of them well and I think it could be a very positive development - in modern politics, structures sometimes have to change."
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said she interpreted the formation of the group as reflecting their desire to be more involved in policy formation.
"I wouldn't see it as a negative but as a rallying of the troops, of the backbenchers with a view to the next election."
Minister of State for Justice Brian Lenihan said he was very impressed that deputies were discussing policy issues. "I heard Barry Andrews say that he would like to focus on childcare. I would certainly welcome a focus on that issue from our backbenchers. We are formulating our party manifesto at present, and it is very important that backbenchers are involved in that."