FF in turmoil: Cowen faces Dáil grilling in drink-drive ban shame
:: Kelleher sorry for flouting Covid-19 rules
FIANNA FÁIL has become embroiled in controversy just a week after entering government, with two of the party’s most senior politicians forced to issue public apologies.
Embattled Agriculture Minister Barry Cowen is under pressure to give a detailed account of the night he was stopped by gardaí for drink-driving.
He is also facing questions over how he managed to reach the age of 49 without a full driver’s licence.
Yesterday, he committed to addressing the controversy in a Dáil statement.
But last night, in response to queries about his licence, Mr Cowen would say only that he sat a test and received his full permit after his driving ban.
There are also questions emerging over who in Fianna Fáil knew about the ban, with senior party figures admitting they had heard “rumours”.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has caused embarrassment for Taoiseach Micheál Martin after it was revealed he ignored quarantine rules so he could attend the vote for the Taoiseach.
Mr Kelleher ignored HSE guidelines requiring people arriving in Ireland to self-isolate for two weeks when he flew in on Friday, June 26.
Instead of quarantining, the Cork MEP attended a Dáil sitting the next day in the National Convention Centre before travelling to Leinster House to mingle with colleagues.
He then travelled to Cork and returned to Dublin the following day and flew back to Brussels.
In a statement, Mr Kelleher said he made an “error of judgment” and apologised “unreservedly”.
Meanwhile, speaking publicly for the first time since the Irish Independent revealed his driving ban, Mr Cowen said he was “humiliated” by his own actions and added he was “no example” to his own children.
“It was a serious lapse of judgment and I wasn’t raised that way,” he added.
The Offaly TD, who is former taoiseach Brian Cowen’s brother, said if any good was to arise from his drink-driving ban, it would be that others would think twice about getting behind the wheel of their car while over the limit.
“I was fortunate in that there was nobody hurt, injured or maimed or killed, thankfully, but that’s not to say that will be the case in any other instance of a similar nature,” he added.
Speaking on RTÉ’s ‘The Week in Politics’, Mr Cowen said “of course” he drove his car unaccompanied while on a learner permit but says he has since acquired a full licence.
Mr Cowen said he should have told Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin about the incident but “naively” decided against informing the Taoiseach.
Social Democrat TD Jennifer
Whitmore said Mr Cowen should address the Dáil on his driving ban and the new minister said he would do so.
Rise TD Paul Murphy said it was “bizarre” that a TD could reach 49 years of age without acquiring a driving licence. Mr Murphy told the Irish Independent Mr Cowen still
had “some explaining to do” and insisted the Dáil should take the minister up on his offer to address the controversy. “Just how it was that he was 49 years old and presumably driving on a daily basis, back and forth to the Dáil and elsewhere, without a full licence,” he said. “If he was driving unaccompanied during this period surely there’s questions also he should answer there.”
Yesterday, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said he accepted Mr Cowen’s explanation.
“He has acknowledged that it was wrong, the courts have applied the appropriate fine and bans, he has apologised to his colleagues and that’s something I accept and maybe there is a lesson for us all to learn,” he said.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar spoke to Taoiseach Micheál Martin about the incident and also accepted Mr Cowen’s explanation.
However, revelations Mr Kelleher breached quarantine rules for people flying into Ireland so he could attend the election of Mr Martin as Taoiseach may lead to Government tensions. Mr Martin’s wife and children, who live in Cork, did not travel to Dublin to see him elected as Taoiseach.
However, Mr Kelleher, who defied the Fianna Fáil leader by deciding to run for the EU Parliament elections last year, travelled back from Brussels for the event.
He posed for photographs in the auditorium and posted them on social media.
After spending time with colleagues in the Convention Centre, Mr Kelleher travelled by what a spokesperson called a “private car” to Leinster House where he mingled with colleagues in the Dáil restaurant.
The spokesperson said Mr Kelleher spent “roughly an hour” in the restaurant where he had a “socially distant bowl of soup”.
“On returning to Cork, he didn’t leave his home and farm until he travelled to Dublin Airport on Sunday night at 2am,” he added.
Onlookers who saw Mr Kelleher at Leinster House said he sat with Fianna Fáil colleagues who were hoping to be called to Government Buildings for ministerial appointments.
Mr Kelleher was forced to issue an apology when details of his breach of the quarantine rules were revealed in the ‘Sunday Times’.
In a statement, Mr Kelleher said he availed of Covid19 testing services before departing Brussels in “order to reduce any potential public health risk”. “However, despite this, I accept that the risk could not have been eliminated fully and I should have followed HSE advice and remained at home,” he added.
“This was an error of judgment on my part and I apologise unreservedly.”
Cavan/Monaghan TD Niamh Smyth was also forced to defend taking her mother to the Convention Centre for the Dáil sitting when Mr Martin did not take his family.
Ms Smyth said she was an “essential worker” who worked for 14 hours a day and was concerned about becoming tired while driving.