FG LEADER'S LISBON PLEA:FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny has called on voters to "withhold their anger with the Government" over their handling of extravagances and retirement settlements at Fás until after the Lisbon referendum.
Mr Kenny said Tánaiste Mary Coughlan’s handling of a €1 million golden handshake to former Fás director general Rody Molloy has “caused deep anger and resentment amongst the population”.
Speaking on his party’s Yes to Europe campaign in Tullow, Co Carlow, yesterday, Mr Kenny said the handling of the Fás controversy was “another example of dithering and floundering by a Government that has lost all credibility . . . with the people”.
He said that when the referendum “is out of the way and hopefully approved . . . the people will have a referendum on the leadership of this country”.
“There is great anger throughout the land at a person who is a director general of the State agency Fás being given a €1 million payment on his way out of the position,” said Mr Kenny.
“But I would ask that the people withhold their anger with the Government until they have the chance to vote on the Government,” he said.
Mr Kenny reiterated his call for Tánaiste Mary Coughlan to go before the Public Accounts Committee to explain the remuneration package arranged for Mr Molloy on his departure.
The Fine Gael leader did not, however, call for Ms Coughlan to be removed from her position in Enterprise. “This is not about going after an individual Minister; the entire position of the Government is in question at present,” he said. “This Government is hiding behind process with no one accepting responsibility for anything.”