I’ve been gagged by Fine Gael
Party off icial quits after tweeting about minister’s brother who has admitted illegally selling cigarettes
A FINE Gael constituency official has resigned claiming there have been attempts to silence him after he made comments on Twitter about a contraband cigarettes court case in which a brother of Fine Gael’s Junior Health Minister Jim Daly pleaded guilty.
At the centre of the dispute are tweets by party stalwart Peter Walsh, which refer to a long-running case about the illegal sale of cigarettes and tobacco at the post office in the minister’s hometown.
Mr Walsh, who is also a shopkeeper, resigned as vice-chairman and social media officer in the Cork South West constituency last Monday, following a visit to his family business in Dunmanway, Co. Cork, by the minister’s trusted aide, JJ Walsh (no relation).
This weekend JJ Walsh, who is also the constituency chairman of the minister’s local constituency organisation, admitted he and Minister Daly had discussed the tweets. But he denied he had been ordered to seek Peter Walsh’s resignation. Minister Daly – who has made a name for himself as a tough-talking law-and-order politician – has also denied he asked for Peter Walsh to step aside from his positions.
Last October the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed how the minister’s brother John Daly pleaded guilty, at Clonakilty District Court, to selling cigarettes and tobacco on which he had paid no tax. Judge Mary Dorgan asked the Revenue Commissioners to reconsider whether it wanted to convict a shop keeper of ‘impeccable character’.
The case was adjourned to December, and again January, when his solicitor queried why Revenue were seeking a ‘pound of flesh’. It came before Judge Dorgan two weeks ago and she adjourned it until next month.
For several months Peter Walsh has posted tweets about the case on his personal twitter account, to which he attached some news reports. Among them were: ‘Judge says its not fair to give a shopkeeper selling illegal tobacco a conviction because it might put him out of business!.. ‘Never heard the likes of it!!’ Two others included: ‘All sales of #illegal tobacco in Drinagh are suspended due to Storm #Ophelia and one other minor detail!!’ and ‘When your local TD’s brother is selling illegal tobacco while you work 7 days a week to fund a Health Department Ministerial car!’
An unrepentant Peter Walsh said: ‘JJ Walsh came to my store on Monday and he said he had had a conversation with the two Jims... Jim McMahon, who is the regional organiser of Fine Gael, and Jim Daly. He said they weren’t happy with what I’ve been saying and that my activities were not aligned with party interests.
‘I offered my resignation and it was accepted immediately. I resigned from the party as well within 24 hours. I resigned because I believe I have a right to speak my mind on issues. I won’t be silenced or gagged. I think the issue is too important. I have had ten years of hell trying to survive and every other shop is undermined by someone selling illegal cigarettes. The Government strategy to be tobacco free by 2025 is in ashes and it is all a smoke screen if they don’t tackle illegal tobacco and smuggling.’
In a statement to the MoS, a spokesman for the minister said: ‘The minister was informed by a telephone call from the constituency chairman on Monday last that Mr Walsh had resigned from his positions on the party executive.
‘Minister Daly had no role or function in the recent resignation of Mr Walsh and to date is not aware of the reasons for his resignation.
‘These are matters dealt with by the party executive.
‘I reiterate the minister never sought, encouraged or looked for Mr Walsh’s resignation as social media officer or vice-chairman of the FG executive in West Cork either formally or informally. Any suggestion or inference re same would be erroneous and misleading,’ the statement read.
Minister Daly’s brother John is known locally as JC because his second name is Christopher. He is five years older than his TD brother and runs the local post office in their hometown of Drinagh.
At the October court hearing, customs officer Fiana Harrington said a cache of illegal tobacco products was found after Revenue officials got a tip-off and raided John Daly’s shop on November 4 2016. Prosecuting solicitor Malachy Boohig said the State lost just over €400 in unpaid tax and Judge Dorgan was told the penalty for such an offence was a €5,000 fine.
John Daly’s solicitor James Brooks said his client had written to the customs officer involved in the raid and had accepted that he had done wrong.
The court was told Revenue wanted the case to proceed and even though it first came before the courts last July, it still has to be concluded. Two weeks ago Judge Dorgan issued a ‘formal invitation’ to a Revenue official to attend court. This was after John Daly’s solicitor claimed Revenue wanted his client’s head ‘on a platter’.
Adjourning the case until July 3 Judge Dorgan said: ‘It has to be put to your clients [the Revenue Commissioners] that this is a conviction that is going to put a gentleman out of business.’
John Daly, like many other rural post masters, could apply for An Post’s recently launched voluntary severance scheme.
However, it is believed that An Post officials are keeping an eye on the unfolding case because if he applies for the severance package any possible payment would have to be reconsidered if he is convicted.
This weekend John Daly’s solicitor did not return a call from the MoS. A spokeswoman for An Post said: ‘The company is satisfied with the manner in which services at Drinagh post office are being provided and neither it, nor any other post office, is being considered for closure.
‘The detail of any contractor’s severance arrangements – or any other post office related issue – would be a confidential matter between that person and An Post.
A FG spokesman refused to comment last night.
‘My activities weren’t aligned to FG interests’ ‘I have had ten years of hell trying to survive’