Bust to Zoom: Bertie’s FF rebel call
Former taoiseach to address activist group who oppose coalition and are ‘aghast’ at direction of the party
FORMER Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to address a dissident group of Fianna Fáil activists on a Zoom call this week.
The former party leader will be the latest senior figure to address the grassroots group, Cosmhuintir Fianna Fáil.
Cosmhuintir was set up to oppose a coalition with Fine Gael and Labour and is believed to have hundreds of members who define themselves as ‘loyal and hard-working members of the party’.
The group describes itself as being ‘a cry from the heart of Fianna Fáil for the rehabilitation and reform of the party’.
In the wake of the last election result it claimed: ‘Loyal party activists were aghast at the lack of direction of the campaign, the constant negativity, the demonstrable lack of planning and the repetitive criticism of Sinn Féin, which backfired.’
However, far from folding up their tents and disappearing after the party voted overwhelmingly for Coalition, the group has continued and has held a series of meetings using the video conference call app.
These have incorporated figures as diverse as John McGuinness, Barry Cowen, and Marc MacSharry.
One source said: ‘The hierarchy have been having kittens over it. They have been organising webinars with ministers to compete. It hasn’t been going so well. We haven’t many draws in the ministerial ranks.’
They added: ‘They are not going to be happy at the ghost of Bertie coming back to haunt them. It is going to be hard for [FF junior minister] Mary Butler, or whoever they try to find, to compete with them.’
One Fianna Fáil source said: ‘It will be interesting to hear Bertie’s views on the teacher unions debacle, coronavirus and how Sinn Féin is running rings around Fianna Fáil. There could be a lot of eye-rolling.’
Relations have been tense between Mr Ahern and Mr Martin in the wake of the resignation of Mr Ahern ahead of a proposed motion to expel him over findings by the now-discredited Planning and Payments Tribunal.
One source said: ‘There is a bit of a truce between them at the moment but
‘Hierarchy have been having kittens over it’
Micheál does not trust Bertie. Of course, Bertie is unimpressed by his exile. He led Fianna Fáil to a three-in-arow and Micheál has led us to our three worst election results. He at best tolerates Micheál but he does not see him as an equal which means he is always open to a bit of mischief.’
Others who have given talks to the group are believed to include Jim O’Callaghan, John Lahart and a number of first-term TDs uneasy at the direction of the party.
One source said: ‘Like the 1922 Conservatives group, it is a safe space where members can swop incendiary things like ideas.’
Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are facing internal revolts from councillors over the ongoing failure of the two main Coalition parties to resolve their pay concerns. The revolt is certain to spark unease in both parties given the increasing power of councillors in areas such as leadership elections and the fate of Seanad candidates.
The campaign is being hatched by a cross-party group of councillors who, it is understood, have lost faith in their political masters on the pay issue.
One source close to the plotters said: ‘Councillors in both parties have become very frustrated by all the promises on the issue of pay.
‘Fine Gael were in government for 10 years and Fianna Fáil have supported them for the past four years. They have had their big report and they have failed to put a pay deal and expense package in place.’
It is believed that junior minister Peter
Burke, who inherited the poisoned chalice of councillor pay from John Paul Phelan, is increasingly unhappy with the failure of senior ministers to implement a package that he has developed.
Under the proposals that are expected to be cost-neutral, based on the 2018 Moorhead Report on Councillors and Local Government, councillors are in line for a pay increase subject to the ending of the current unvouched expenses regime. It would bring their pay from €17,000 currently to about €25,000 but would curtail their ability to claim expenses.
Commenting on the accelerating unease of councillors, the Association of Local Government president, Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Hoade said: ‘The salary of our councillors has been a long-standing issue and the truth is that the current salary is inadequate to support our members.
‘The independent Moorhead Report, which reviewed the role and remuneration of local authority elected members, was unequivocal’.
Ms Moorhead, the Fianna Fáil councillor said, ‘states that she has “no hesitation in recommending an increase in remuneration for councillors.” ’
Ms Hoade added: ‘The Moorhead report was published in June 2020 and Association of Irish Local Government
(AILG) and the general body of councillors are frustrated and disappointed that this matter has not been resolved to date.’
It is imperative, she added, ‘that councillors are provided with a proper salary, at a realistic level, to continue to attract and sustain new and existing councillors to serve at local authority level’.
One source said: ‘Non-implementation is not a resigning matter for those fellows, it never is, but it might be a kicking-up matter.’
Another councillor said: ‘We keep on being told by milk and water politicians that it’s not a good time. Sure, it’s never a good time but if they can’t get a pay package over the line for us now, they never will.’
‘Always open to a bit of mischief’