Don’t show your nose in Mayo, Micheal
‘Ridiculous’ omission of deputy Calleary angers Fianna Fail TDS
MEMBERS of Fianna Fail have warned Micheal Martin “not to show his nose” in their county after his shock snub of popular politician Dara Calleary.
The anger in Co Mayo is representative of bad feeling around rural Ireland after the new Taoiseach’s decision not to appoint a senior minister west of the Shannon.
Mr Calleary has been made Chief Whip in the new coalition.
The politician told local radio station Midwest yesterday he was “very disappointed” and that he had “a difficult conversation” with Mr Martin on Saturday evening.
The south-east also lost out on senior postings, with a lack of representation from Waterford, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny.
Meanwhile, nine of 15 senior ministers come from greater Dublin, three from the Taoiseach’s home constituency in Cork and two from
Greystones in Wicklow. Mr Martin’s pick of Kerry TD Norma Foley as Education Minister prevented a blank of the western seaboard.
The passover has caused ructions among rural TDS, with Independent Michael Fitzmaurice demanding equality after the “ridiculous and scandalous” move.
But the lasting damage for Mr Martin could come from within his own party.
One senior member from Galway told the Irish Mirror: “This might be the end of civil war politics in the Dail but there will be war in Fianna Fail.”
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Ballina Mayo chairman, Matt Farrell, told RTE’S News at One yesterday: “It’s the old story again – the West of Ireland is ‘To Hell or to Connacht’ and we are left with that position.
“I can tell you, speaking as chairman and on behalf of the organisation locally, the feeling is Micheal Martin need not show his nose in Mayo while he’s Taoiseach, for he’ll not be welcome.”
Mr Martin addressed the anti-west backlash after his Cabinet meeting of ministers yesterday, where Mr Calleary sat in.
He said: “We’re a Government for the entire country, that’s a very important point and that will remain the case.
“Part of the remit of the Programme for Government is regional development and trying to get a better balance. That’s not dependent on any one minister.
“That is a collective responsibility on the entire Cabinet and will remain so and we will keep that focus on it.”
Last night, Mr Calleary also rowed back on earlier stinging comments.
He added: “I am incredibly grateful to be sitting around the Cabinet table. “It is not leading a department, which is one of my ambitions – I intend to do that one day.
“His [the Taoiseach’s] analysis was I had the skills to be Chief Whip.
“I’m going to take that ball and I’m going to run with that ball.”
It might be the end of Dail civil war politics but it’s war in Fianna Fail SENIOR FF MEMBER
GALWAY YESTERDAY