Spokesman denies U-turn... but why did Kenny avoid questions on a pact in future?

ENDA Kenny’s spokesman said last night that the Taoiseach’s comments about Sinn Féin and Fine Gael being in coalition were misquoted.

Asked why Mr Kenny had apparently made a U-turn, after nearly every Fine Gael heavy-hitter in his Cabinet rejected his comments, Government Press spokesman Feargal Purcell denied that there was a U-turn.

Mr Purcell, who is on a taxpayerfunded salary of €115,000 a year, said the statement ‘was to reinforce what he actually said, as opposed to what was just reported and to emphasise what the party’s position is, given that there was speculation around it’.

He added: ‘I would point you towards what he actually said… did you read the full transcript of what he actually said?’

At a press briefing in Government Buildings last Thursday Mr Kenny had already sidestepped two quesEK: tions about a potential coalition with Sinn Féin when journalist Philip Ryan asked: ‘On the Sinn Féin question, which you didn’t answer, and comes following Regina Doherty’s [chief whip] comments. All I can take from that is that you are leaving the door wide open for a huge change in policy for Fine Gael.’

The Taoiseach replied: ‘I said I wouldn’t do business with Fianna Fáil either.’ PR: ‘Sorry Sinn Féin...’ EK: ‘I know yeah, but I said I wouldn’t do business with Fianna Fáil, you know, so depending on the result you gave as a member of the electorate, politicians have to work with the result. So Sinn Féin seem to be being converted now to a position of changing their stance.

PR: ‘And Fine Gael are as well then?

‘There are lots of things that SF would need to do to clear the lines but I welcome the clarification by the deputy leader. I don’t see Fine Gael doing business with Sinn Féin, that’s not going to arise under this administration in any event. PR: But the next one? EK: ‘The next one is probably a much stronger result for Fine Gael I would think.’

It was put to Mr Purcell that the Taoiseach had other opportunities at the press conference to reject the notion of a coalition and he didn’t do it, but he said: ‘I disagree, I disagree. I mean he was categoric in saying “it can’t happen” until they change their ways. And it doesn’t arise in this setting in any case, but he was categoric that it is just a non-runner, I think that’s the term he used actually. I mean it’s there in the transcripts, so the purpose of today’s statement is to reinforce that.’