Ahern rejects calls for McDaid resignation

The Taoiseach today rejected calls to sack the Minister for Sport and Tourism, Dr Jim McDaid over remarks the Minister made over suicide.

Dr McDaid yesterday issued an apology for comments in which he claimed people who commit suicide are "selfish bastards".

This morning at the party’s daily election briefing, Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs Mary O’Rourke, said she could not understand why Dr McDaid had make the remarks. She said he was "deeply shocked" by them.

Minister for Environment Mr Noel Dempsey also apologised on behalf of the party for the comments of his colleague. Both ministers said they did not agree with the sentiments expressed.

Mr Ahern, campaigning in New Ross, Co Wexford, said he did not agree with what Dr McDaid had said but added: "He has apologised, and I am not going to be looking for his resignation".

He has apologised, and I am not going to be looking for his resignation. Mr Bertie Ahern

Mr Ahern also said three personal friends of his had died through suicide - one during the last, 1997, general election campaign.

Last night Dr McDaid apologised for the remarks. He said he had been quoting a friend whose son had killed himself, and the remarks - delivered to a teenage audience in Donegal last week - were intended to make young people reflect upon the effects of suicide on friends and family.

Dr McDaid admitted his comments were "provocative" - but also "preventative". They would be justified if they were "to save one young person [and make them think about] the devastation and the loss and the sense of guilt that they leave behind," he said.

He admitted he had "no great experience of suicide" and said: "If I hurt somebody . . . I sincerely apologise".

Opposition parties had branded the comments "cruel and insensitive".

Candidate Ms Helen Keogh said she had been contacted since the remark was made public by a mother whose son had committed suicide. "She wanted to know why Dr McDaid was being so insensitive," she said.

Labour said Dr McDaid should be sacked from the cabinet and dropped as a candidate in his Co Donegal parliamentary constituency.

Mr Jackie McNair, who is contesting the same Donegal division for Labour, said his sister had committed suicide, and he did not consider her to have been selfish.

The issue also dominated RTE's Radio Live Lineprogramme, with a number of parents of suicide victims contacting programmes to complain about the minister's sentiments.

A spokesman for the Samaritans' organisation in Dublin said: "We are not convinced these remarks are entirely helpful".

Additional reporting PA