Lucinda has full backing of FG’s EU allies
LUCINDA Creighton says Fine Gael's sister parties across Europe are bemused she was punished for her voting against abortion.
Despite her sacking as a junior minister and her expulsion from the parliamentary party, Ms Creighton remains a prominent figure in Fine Gael's centre-right grouping in the EU, the European People's Party (EPP).
“I have had conversations with prime ministers, with ministers, with colleagues from all over the European People’s Party, from all corners of Europe, who support me very strongly and I have to say are quite bemused at the fact that a person could be expelled from a parliamentary party for not voting for abortion,” Lucinda told the Sunday Independent.
Ms Creighton was elected as a vice-president of the EPP, topping the poll on her way to the prestigious position.
“I haven’t encountered any difficulties. Everybody is very supportive of me and I continue to do my work and nothing has changed,” she said.
This weekend, she was present at a high-powered meeting of the EPP, ahead of the EU summit, attended by Angela Merkel and 13 other EU leaders.
At the gathering, in the picturesque Chateau de Bouchout in the town of Meize, outside Brussels, the former European Affairs Minister bumped into Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The exchange between the pair was described as brief and cordial. Regardless of their personal relations, Ms Creighton supported Mr Kenny in his bid to get EU leaders to stick to their promise to give Ireland a deal on legacy bank debt.
“I have very, very good relations with all of my colleagues here in the EPP and I intend to use that to work with the Taoiseach to achieve that important goal,” she said.