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TÁNAISTE SIMON COVENEY said he agrees with the Taoiseach’s viewpoint on Dara Murphy that he should put himself forward for investigation in relation to his attendance and expenses.
Despite telling Leo Varadkar that he would co-operate with any inquiry into the matter, the Taoiseach said in recent days that Murphy is now refusing to take part.
“I have asked him to do so. As of now, he’s not willing to do so. I’m annoyed about that, quite frankly, and a lot of people in Fine Gael are annoyed about that too. And I’d be calling on him to reconsider that decision,” the Taoiseach said.
However, yesterday evening it was reported that Murphy has now vowed to co-operate, with perhaps an independent person being tasked with carrying out an inquiry.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie today, Coveney said he has not spoken to his former constituency colleague and did not feel he could answer the question as to whether Murphy had let down the people of Cork in terms of representation.
“But certainly, I agree with the Taoiseach on this, in terms of trying to bring this issue to closure. I’m very much in the same space that he’s at,” he said.
Questions have been raised about Murphy working in Brussels while also being a sitting TD in the Dáil.
In recent weeks, it has also been highlighted that Murphy has been in Leinster House on 24 sitting days out of 70 in the first nine months of 2019 and just 42 of the 104 sitting days during 2018.
Murphy, formerly a Cork North Central TD, faced criticism in relation to his attendance and expenses, and stepped down as representative at the end of last month.
The former minister of State has been based in Brussels for the past two years where he has worked as full-time director of elections for the European People’s Party (EPP). Fine Gael is a member of the EPP, a political grouping in the European Union.
Murphy has now taken up a €150,000 a year job in the European Commission.
The clerk of the Dáil, the Standards in Public Office (Sipo), as well as the Dáil Ethics Committee have all stated that they do not have the powers in investigate the matter as Murphy is no longer a TD.
The only way an inquiry could take place is if Murphy presents himself to the ethics committee and agrees to an inquiry.
When asked if he felt the issue of Murphy was something that was coming up on the doorsteps in Cork, Coveney said “most people are focused on more practical things that impact their own lives” as opposed to “personalities” at play within politics.
From his experience of being out and about and chatting to people, constituents are interested in Brexit, housing developments in Cork, health care reform, and jobs.
Rather than “personality issues” in the party, Coveney said Fine Gael is “anxious to focus on what the party has to offer to the country”.
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Coveney said Fine Gael is “anxious to focus on what the party has to offer to the country”.
They have offered nothing in the last 8 or 9 years. Do they need another 5 years to continue offering nothing?
@David Corrigan: they can offer us an election ASAP
Are we all supposed to believe that the rest of the FG parliamentary party didn’t know exactly what was going on.
Where as he and his colleagues when this leach had his head stuck in the expenses through?
They turned the other way when it suited them.
As a result of this fiasco ALL TD’s expenses should be fully vouched immediately for ALL expenses claimed … from a newspaper to first class travel. Biometric logging in AND out needs to be in place immediately.
The only way to end this gravy train is to derail it.
This system should be call the ‘Varadkar’ expenses system to put it permanently into our minds eye.
I am furious.
As a public servant I’ve had to provide proof for every cent of the minimal expenses I’ve ever claimed. Tis not hard. Wonder why it doesn’t apply to politicians????
@gm_cmanning: Because politicians made the rules for politicians to suit politicians !
@Shakka1244: and we employ em so don’t vote for them unless they agree to reform this.
FF and FG treat the voters with such obvious disdain. They feather their own nests and only acknowledge our existence at election time.
Maybe a Garda investigation would grab his attention.
@kopper96: yes, how is this not being treated as a criminal matter!?!
Rather than “personality issues” in the party, Coveney said Fine Gael is “anxious to focus on what the party has to offer big business and their financial supporters”.
There you go Simon, say what you mean.
Off to Europe with Frances and Phil …. laughing
Paddy and Maureen will vote FFG On queue again.
@Roger Paltry: There’s no viable alternative unfortunately, better the devil you know
@Frank Scanlon: how has better the devil you know been going so far? Record homelessness, hospital waiting lists, no accountability, jobs for the boys, massive overspend to name a few. But sure ya, better the devil you know
Mr. Coveney said in The Independent they have tried to ring each other a couple of times but missed each other. How stupid do they think we are???
As for his non attendance, in the same article, he said it was with the full backing of his party.
And don’t we all know poor Dara will be found to have done nothing wrong
If they cared they could ask their buddies in Europe to suspend him until he turns up for investigation. They won’t though.
Could the Public Accounts Committee not hold all of them to account just like any other civil servant
People should not vote for either major party their all sh**e
@Mick McGuinness: who else is there to vote for?
@Barry Davidson: Anyone But Those Two
@Barry Davidson: about a dozen+ other parties and if enough vote for them then they’re the major parties.
@gm_cmanning: Genuinely interested here – Specifically speaking,which party? And what do you think they can give us that the big 2 can’t?
@niall gallagher: what has the big two as you call it giving Ireland?
@rumug: First of all, I’m impartial here.
Secondly, I think it’s fair enough to call them the Big 2 –
The head of cabinet since The Irish Free State has only come from either FG or FF.
And thirdly, you’re arguing in the alternative.
(I live abroad and am a little out of the loop so I’m not best-placed to say what they’ve given us.)
I’m simply asking the people dogging them in the above to tell the rest of us what the alternative options can, specifically, offer Ireland?
@niall gallagher: I would guess that the alternative is to vote for anyone but FFG, its worth a bash, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Lads, Lads, lads, when are we just going to boot them all out, ff. Fg, sf. Out.. Straight up no kissing, just get them all out. The longer we fight this stupid government the more people die 9n the streets or at their own hand with 5he fear of being on street… Why keep a government that are so far detached from society that they don’t know what beans on toast taste like…
Wasters………
Parasite
Everybody knew but nobody said …… within the hallowed halls anyway!
they all agree because they know it wont happen. snouts in the trough every one of our ‘public representatives ‘
That’s all well and good but horse has bolted so unless you can actually do something about it stop spouting!
Perhaps Dara should write the report into his expenses himself, which he should get handsomely remunerated for. Seems to be the Fine Gael way!
@Niall McNamara: You have it summarised in one!
Fine Gael, Varadkar and now Coveney, are being dragged kicking and screaming to admit that what Dara Murphy did was wrong. But they have left it too late to take the high moral ground. Similarly, Micheal Martin has been too slow to get rid of the bad apples in his party. Somethings never change it seems.
Dara Murphy should be in prison today for committing fraud offenses, not at home cutting his christmas turkey, corrupt fat prlck
This coming from the man who allowed aided and abeited in the bribery of Dublin city Council for over 6 years. When all came out claimed neevr recieved said email making aware of situation and then when found out to be lieing about not receiving said email stated oh but I never actually saw it.
have your say