Lowry denies plagiarising FG leaflet on budget

Despite startling similarities, Tipperary TD Mr Michael Lowry has denied there was any plagiarism from Fine Gael in a leaflet…

Despite startling similarities, Tipperary TD Mr Michael Lowry has denied there was any plagiarism from Fine Gael in a leaflet he produced explaining the budget.

Mr Lowry's leaflet has exactly the same title as one distributed by Fine Gael TDs in their constituencies - "Know Where You Stand? A Guide to your entitlements in 2002" - and is also remarkably similar in content and style covering health, housing and taxation.

He told The Irish Times yesterday he had been producing such leaflets to explain the changes in the budget for the past 12 years.

"I have used the same individual for compiling and printing it. I don't know if Fine Gael used the same person for compiling theirs, nor do I care."

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The North Tipperary TD, who stood as an independent deputy in the 1997 general election, said he paid the printer and the compiler out of his own funds and paid An Post to distribute it.

"I'm not so sure, maybe Fine Gael are copying me," he said.

But a Fine Gael spokeswoman said the publication was produced by the party for members of the parliamentary party for distribution to their constituents.

" 'Know Where You Stand' has been distributed in approximately 20 constituencies already.

"Mr Lowry is not a member of the parliamentary party and therefore did not receive a copy of this publication from the party.

"He may have acquired a copy of the publication from any number of constituencies."

The spokeswoman added that the Fine Gael leaflet was first distributed the weekend after the budget in December.

Mr Lowry's leaflet had come out later.

Mr Lowry pointed out that in his leaflet the photograph is in a different place, as is the name, the colour is different and the print a bigger size.

Meanwhile, the Fine Gael TD for Westmeath, Mr Paul McGrath, has accused his Fianna Fáil colleague, Senator Donie Cassidy, of copying his version of the same budget leaflet.

The leaflet contained three misspellings.

The same spelling errors occurred in Mr Cassidy's copy.

Mr McGrath said it was an outrage that someone would stoop so low; and he was making a complaint to the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges on the matter.

But last night Senator Cassidy strongly denied Mr McGrath's allegations.

He said he had not used any material other that based on Fianna Fáil Government policy.

"Anything I have used has been based solely on Fianna Fáil Bills and Fianna Fáil Acts - in other words, on legislation brought in by Fianna Fáil and nothing else," he said.

He was prepared to put that before the 25,000-strong electorate in Westmeath in the fullest confidence, he added.

"I cannot understand what these people are crying about all the time," he said, in reference to the assertions made by his Fine Gael constituency colleague.

"These people have spent years in oppposition, achieving nothing for most of the time.

"And, frankly, they have nothing to offer, as I'm certain the general election will show."