FINE GAEL SECURES LOWRY’S BACKING
Independent TD conf irms call from government and says it would be ‘unpatriotic’ not to pledge his support
FORMER Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry confirmed to the Irish Mail on Sunday last night that the Government has contacted him to secure his crucial vote in the Dáil – and he has pledged to support them.
The MoS has established that the Government has contacted two Independent TDs – Michael Lowry and Noel Grealish – this weekend and secured their support in a move that should prevent an immediate general election.
It comes as the fallout from a disastrous week for Leo Varadkar’s minority Government continues following the shock resignation of former communications minister Denis Naughten on Thursday.
Fianna Fáil will support the confidence
and supply agreement until the Taoiseach and Micheál Martin meet this week.
But following recent resignations the minority Government remained short two votes to keep itself afloat – and to give effect to the Taoiseach’s reshuffle yesterday.
Controversial former minister Lowry told the MoS in an exclusive interview he had vowed to support Mr Varadkar’s fragile Government as to bring it down would be ‘reckless and unpatriotic’.
Mr Grealish told the MoS: ‘After a meeting with An Tánaiste Simon Coveney and a lengthy conversation with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar regarding Brexit, I have decided to give the necessary support to the Government during this crucial stage of Brexit negotiations.’
Mr Grealish’s statement was subsequently released by the Government press office.
However, it is Mr Lowry’s public pledge of support that will cause both relief and significant political difficulty for Mr Varadkar.
With the Government having lost two members – Peter Fitzpatrick and Denis Naughten – it needed a pledge of support of three Dáil deputies to secure the magic number of 57. Independent TD Seán Canney was tied in with a junior ministry in
I don’t engage in ‘hostage politics’
yesterday’s round of appointments.
When the MoS asked Mr Lowry yesterday whether he had been contacted this weekend as Mr Grealish had, he replied: ‘Yes, I have had contacts with Government… I have committed to supporting the Government and supporting the Taoiseach in relation to his nominees next week,’ said Mr Lowry.
He said in return for this: ‘I have access to, as a supporter of the Government, who is supporting the Government in critical votes, I have access to whoever the relevant minister is.’
However, Mr Lowry said he didn’t ask for any specific project for his Tipperary constituency this weekend as he doesn’t engage in ‘hostage politics’.
‘I think to deliberately bring down a government in the present circumstances, in particular in relation to the massive decisions that are awaiting us in relation to Brexit, it would be to my view reckless and unpatriotic,’ said Mr Lowry.
He confirmed that he continues to have access to Government departments to work on behalf of his constituency.
‘I didn’t look for anything return,’ said Mr Lowry. ‘I am happy with the access I have to the Government and to Government departments, and I’ll continue to use the influence I have to convey a message to Government about the problems that afflict us nationally.’
He said the first vote he has agreed to support is for appointments following Denis Naughten’s resignation. Education Minister Richard Bruton is to move to Communications, Chief Whip Joe McHugh will move to Education, while Galway Junior Minister Seán Kyne will become the chief whip.
When Fianna Fáil’s 45 TDs abstain from crucial votes as part of the confidence and supply agreement there are 113 voting TDs in the Dáil. This means the Government needs 57 TDs to pass legislation. In the event it is required, the Ceann Comhairle, in practice, votes in support of the Government.
Mr Grealish announced his formal deal last night, and the Government confirmed it but Government sources said they cannot announce the deal with Mr Lowry because of the political difficulties it will cause Mr Varadkar.
Mr Lowry was forced to resign as a Fine Gael minister over 20 years ago over allegations of improper connections with businessman Ben Dunne. He was subsequently the subject of the Moriarty Tribunal which investigated his links with businessman Denis O’Brien during the awarding of the State’s first mobile phone licence. During the 2016 general election campaign Mr Varadkar said he would ‘hate’ to see a Government dependent on Mr Lowry because he was facing court. Mr Lowry told the MoS in July that Mr Varadkar had contacted him to secure his vote for Taoiseach in 2017, and Mr Varadkar confirmed this.
Asked about the move to get support from Mr Lowry and Mr Grealish, a Government spokesman said: ‘The Partnership Government is in a minority situation and therefore treats each vote as a unique situation. There are a number of Independents who support the Government on a case-by-case basis.
‘The Government is confident that it retains adequate support to win key votes… There is no formal agreement with Deputy Lowry but he does support the Government on most occasions. No vote on a motion of confidence nor on a money bill has come down to one vote so we are not dependent on any one individual.’
Seperately the Government moved to defend underfire Junior Minister Pat Breen who knew about a private dinner that Denis Naughten had with David McCourt, the last remaining bidder to deliver the National Broadband Plan.
Behind the scenes, questions are being asked why Mr Breen didn’t tell the Taoiseach about the meeting
‘We are not dependant on any one individual ‘
Minister Breen did not organise the dinner
when Mr Naughten failed to mention it when addressing the controversy in the Dáil this week.
But both the Government and Opposition are keen to ensure Mr Breen get a ‘fool’s pardon’ on the issue, because the Government would surely fall were he forced to resign also.
A Government spokesman said: ‘Minister Breen confirmed last Thursday that he passed on an invitation from David McCourt to former minister Denis Naughten to attend an informal dinner in Mr McCourt’s home. Minister Breen confirmed he did not organise the dinner. The Taoiseach and the Government have full confidence in Minister Breen.’
Mr Breen has insisted he first met Mr McCourt, an American-Irish billionaire, who owns a palatial lakeside home outside Newmarket-on-Fergus – about 15km from Mr Breen’s family home – in 2016. Both men attended the Global Ireland Summit organised by the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in 2013.
A spokesman for Mr Breen said the Minister did not know Mr McCourt at the time and there were ‘upwards of 300 people’ at the event. He said that Mr Breen had passed on the dinner invitation to Mr Naughten at Mr McCourt’s request and: ‘Mr McCourt’s wife also attended the dinner. To his knowledge, the National Broadband Plan was not discussed at the dinner. Minister Breen confirmed all of this with the Taoiseach’s office last Thursday. He also confirmed he had not organised that dinner and was merely passing on a message, contrary to the account given by former minister Naughten. Minister Breen is not in the habit of organising dinners in anyone’s home but his own.’