THERE WERE heated exchanges when a Government backbencher defended Fianna Fáil’s integrity and strongly criticised Fine Gael and Labour. FF TD Michael Kennedy, who represents Dublin North, said a smear existed that somehow Fianna Fáil was involved in the golden circle.
“I remind the Opposition that in the past it has used the little inner circle quite well. While I hesitate to use the name of Dr Garret FitzGerald, a man I hold in the highest esteem, and I cast no aspersions on his integrity, he had a major loan paid off by AIB.’’
Leas Cheann Comhairle Brendan Howlin intervened to say it was not the practice to mention individuals who were not members of the House in any way that might cause an adverse reaction to them.
Mr Kennedy said he would refrain from doing so “and I will state that a former member of this House, who was a leader of a political party, had a loan paid back by AIB’’.
Labour finance spokeswoman Joan Burton remarked: “Was it Mr Haughey? We are a bit confused . . . That former leader of Fianna Fáil had far more financial issues’’. Mr Howlin said the admonition applied to all members.
Mr Kennedy said the inference was that all of this was on the Fianna Fáil side, and he was stating that it was equally on the Opposition’s side.
“To me, this person is no different to anybody else. If it was an ordinary individual, I do not think the bank would have been as accommodating. I do not cast any aspersions on the integrity of the person, a man who did great work for this country and who I hold in the highest regard. When one wants to talk about smears and inferences, one must balance it.’’
Speaking during the debate on the pension levy legislation, Mr Kennedy claimed that some years ago, Fine Gael had a loan of €3 million to €4 million paid off with the help of builders.
“It is ridiculous for Fine Gael to state that this is a one-way process. It used these builders to pay off its debts. Fine Gael holds fundraising events. It did not have a tent in Galway but it has Fairyhouse races and the dogs in the street in my constituency, and in Meath, know that every year Fine Gael runs a major fundraiser in Fairyhouse at which its party members wine and dine with the same builders the party speaks about.’’
Fine Gael, said Mr Kennedy, also held golf classics to which builders subscribed. While he was not suggesting anything untoward, Fine Gael should look at its own scene. A donation of €127,000 from Ben Dunne found its way into Fine Gael’s bank account, as did a donation of $50,000 from Telenor, he said. Equally, said Mr Kennedy, Labour had used builders for fundraisers.
Ms Burton said that Fianna Fáil had “a gaggle of Ministers at the tribunals taking millions’’. She added that, unlike Fianna Fáil, no one from Labour was found guilty before any tribunal.
Mr Kennedy said no Fianna Fáil person was found guilty either.
Kieran O’Donnell (FG, Limerick East) described Mr Kennedy’s remarks as negative and “Ballymagash tripe’’.
“I suspect he would not say much of what he said in the House today outside the House.’’ Paul Gogarty (Green Party, Dublin Mid West) said that every time “an Opposition deputy accuses a Fianna Fáil deputy of corruption, knowing that the Opposition party dips into the pot, however legitimately, that is moral bankruptcy’’.
