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LABOUR CHAIRMAN COLM Keaveney has said that the dispute over his chairmanship of the party in the wake of his vote against the Budget is over following a meeting of the party’s executive board today.
The party’s 14-member executive board met in Dublin today to consider a report from the party’s legal advisor into the issues raised by Keaveney being outside the parliamentary party following his vote against the Budget last month.
Keaveney said that at the meeting it was agreed that when and where discussions concentrate on parliamentary matters, the Galway East TD will absent himself from these discussions.
He said that beyond that he would continue to chair meetings and chair the party, he said.
“I respect that, I am not a member of parliamentary party currently and that’s because I’ve lost the whip for voting against the Social Welfare Bill and I can understand the rationale for that,” Keaveney told TheJournal.ie this evening.
Joan Burton at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin today. Pic: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland
“The important thing for grassroots Labour today is that the perception of a dispute or a disagreement between parties involved in this process is now finished and there is no distraction in fulfilling the mandate of the chairmanship of the party.”
Keaveney said that the dispute was now over which allowed the party the opportunity to focus “on what matters”. He described the meeting of the executive board today as “cordial, workmanlike, and very focussed as ever”.
He said that he genuinely felt that the doubts over his position in recent weeks, with speculation that the Labour leadership may try to oust him, had led to a “David versus Goliath situation”.
Keaveney continued: “It was was major battle, I never doubted that my position was correct but I suppose when you’re dealing with people… you’re essentially taking on the State. It’s the deputy prime minister of the country [Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore].
“There are a lot of unknowns in that, it’s not a fair battle.”
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What a typical left wing rubbish half solution to the problem. Indecision and messy compromise that serves no purpose ultimately. And they want to run the country.
They are running the country, not very effectively granted, but they are in a coalition government so technically they are running the country.
Why go into coalition with them then Vincent????
What would be your full & decisive decision Vincent?
@chairman- mercifully, no. They’re really not.
@tony- spoilt for choice FG weren’t.
@shayno- if Keaveney had any honour he would have joined Shortall in exile and fought his cause from there. But no. The left prefer in-fighting.
@ Vincent, totally agree, we have a very ineffective Government
@Vincent, you gave me a politician’s answer, as in no answer to the question. Just evasion.
It’s a long time since the Labour Party adopted left wing policy’s Vincent. There’s no such thing as left wing politics in Ireland.
I’ll be voting for the ULA next time out.
Yes, Petr. Because the ULA know how to organise themselves.
Steady on their Colm. David & Goliath more like Brian McFadden & Westlife.
Fair play Colm. Representing the people from tuam. Stood by his election promises. Why so easy to be cynical. This county not used a politician with a conscious. Keep up the good work Colm.
@Anne. But he hasn’t Anne! He has kept his salary, seat and pension rights!! He has lost the whip and that’s it! A bs move, a cowardly stance and and dishonest political shimmy! His actions are not that of true Labour member, well, ok, maybe it is….
I know this person from when he was in the students union in letterkenny, he had no conscience then and that hasn’t changed
could’nt be ar**ed commenting!
and yet you have haha
Vincent should run the country. He’s vewy vewy smart!
Well spotted Petr
labour are finished and have lost any scraps of credibility outside their ego massagers.
Regardless of who is holding chair or whips they are finished.
Maybe the Journal will put up a poll asing people if they agree with me !
Out with the old & in with the new..
(Labour’s only survival)
the labour hasbeans will soon be no bean. they forgett that they are only there part time
The only problem with that is everyone from 80/100k down to minimum wage and unemployed would be hammered even worse with no restraints at all on Enda’s attack dogs…
Keep the black tie community in luxury at all costs.
Future generations are going to look back on this immoral period of our history, they are not going to be saying, King Kenny the knight in shining armour! They will be questioning how and why we let it happen.
Will you stand up and say that you are being paid too much Colm?
Labour guilty of left wing policies? That would be like accusing Labour of pursuing egalitarian, socially fair and socially progressive policies. In fairness Labour is a right of centre party, with just a few individual exceptions, who are quickly learning they are unwanted.
As a batter of balance, Labour is not quite as right wing as Fine Gael. FGs days of social justice are well and truly gone and “moderates” such as Vincent Dolan are trying to keep up with the accelerating move to the right.
have your say