High-minded Labour pair succumb to . . . four-star political pragmatism

SENATORS DENIS Landy and John Kelly, along with colleague James Heffernan, incurred the wrath of their leader at Labour’s parliamentary party meeting this week for publicly boycotting the recent party think-in at the plush Carton House Spa and Golf Hotel (right).

The high-minded trio stayed away from the two-day event, saying the four-star location sent out the wrong signals in these straitened times.

So it rather galled some Labour folk to find out that Landy and Kelly had no qualms about turning up a few days later to a three-day conference in Galway, held in Ballinasloe’s very nice four-star Shearwater Hotel.

The irony wasn’t lost on Big Phil Hogan either. The Minister for the Environment was guest speaker at the “banquet” on the last night of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland centenary conference.

As he surveyed the plush dining room – the hotel pulled out all the stops – he opened his speech by welcoming the councillors and other guests. Then he singled out Labour’s principled pair for special mention.

“I’m delighted to see Senators Landy and Kelly here tonight. I hope the establishment meets with their high standards,” he said, to laughter from the audience (apart from the two Labour boys).

The meal and wine was wonderful – as indeed were the lunches and dinners laid on during the conference.

Afterwards, the cabaret included a performance featuring dancers from Riverdance.

“It was fabulous. A fine social evening and as fine an event as you’d want to be at,” one councillor told us. “The dancers got a standing ovation.”

An afternoon of golf at nearby Ballinasloe golf club was also included in the programme. Senators Landy and Kelly didn’t partake, as far as we know.

Back in Leinster House this week, some Senators found it all highly amusing.

“We’re hearing the ground was very heavy after a fierce shower of rain and it was a bit mucky, so that mightn’t have offended the Labour Senators’ sensibilities so much,” said one.

However, the prevailing view was that political pragmatism won out over high principle when it came to the Galway conference.

Snubbing your party think-in is one thing, ignoring councillors who vote in Seanad elections is other.

Clearly, Messrs Landy and Kelly have high hopes that the Upper House will survive.