FG unease about Donohoe and IMF job
FINE Gael party insiders have expressed unease over reports linking Paschal Donohoe to the top job at the International Monetary Fund.
Reports from financial news agency Bloomberg state the Minister for Public Expenditure and head of the group of eurozone finance ministers, has held ‘preliminary conversations’ over becoming the next head of the IMF.
The news has created further anxiety within Fine Gael about the growing issue of ‘party flight’ with one source warning that it leaves the senior minister ‘vulnerable’.
‘It does leave Paschal vulnerable to the question as to whether he can serve two masters, his current one or the IMF,’ they told the Irish Mail on Sunday.
Another Government source said: ‘It is open to questions about conflict of interests. In an election year he has to clarify his position.’
Mr Donohoe is believed to be politically close to US treasury head Janet Yellen who will play a key role in deciding who secures the post.
Significantly, as part of an unwritten alliance between Europe and America, the IMF has always been led by a European national. As part of this quid pro quo, the US in turn nominates the president of the World Bank.
Responding to the development, Sinn Féin Public Expenditure spokesperson Rose Conway Walsh said: ‘It’s clear that Paschal
Donohoe’s focus has been elsewhere for some time now.
‘At a time when this country needs politicians to be working hard to tackle unprecedented challenges, it is concerning that one of Fine Gael’s most senior representatives is pursuing his next job.’