Taoiseach 'certainly never did me any favours; absolutely not!' says Leitrim councillor
A Leitrim councillor has spoken out after it was reported this week that Taoiseach Micheál Martin could “struggle to win” a no-confidence motion proposed by the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, one minister has suggested.
A Leitrim councillor didn't hold back when he spoke out after it was reported this week that Taoiseach Micheál Martin could “struggle to win” a no-confidence motion proposed by the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, one minister has suggested.
Anger continues to grow among Government backbenchers over the handling of the party’s failed presidential campaign and the selection of Jim Gavin.
Speaking to Ocean FM, Cllr Paddy O'Rourke was asked if he believed that Mr Martin's days were number as leader, he responded that it would "be a matter for the parliamentary party. Councillors can express their opinions to their local representatives, if they have one. And we have not had one here in Leitrim for in twenty-something years. We will engage with Eamon Scanlon who is part of this review committee. Whether there is sufficient anger to remove him right away or sufficient hunger from potentials replacements coming down the line, is another matter."
He added: "How many leaders remain at the top, realistically, for a decade and a half? He's there since 2011."
He added: "He certainly never did me any favours. Absolutely not. He did help to bring the party back from where we were but I stood in the last general election and but for my endeavour in Leitrim, we would have no Fianna Fail seat in Sligo/Leitrim yet during that campaign, the Taoiseach didn't see fit to visit the county or endorse my candidacy to the wider public. He was enjoying popularity and well ahead of everyone else as the front runner among party leaders. It would certainly have made a difference to the amount of votes I received."
He said that the process of selecting a Fianna Fail presidential candidate fell "well short of what one would expect from the largest party in the Oireachtas and in local government. We had it within our gift to elect a different person and we blew it. Why? Because there was no consultation with anyone. We had a ridiculous situation where the minister, second in command in finance, in the throes of preparing a budget, was anointed to be the director of elections and had participation in selecting a candidate. That was all wrong. Preparing the budget is a project in and of itself and to expect them to spread themselves across another project - finding a candidate. There were plenty of candidates within the Fianna Fail ranks and others who could and should have been approached but no; the leaders and unelected gurus at headquarters decided to take it on themselves and that they knew best and imposed the unfortunate Jim Gavin."
Cllr O'Rourke clashed with Cllr Clarke just last month after Cllr Clarke claimed there was no funding left in Leitrim under the Disabled Person's Grant.
Cllr O'Rourke commented: "I don't know why he feels the necessity to intrude in our county and take on himself to comment on things he is not familiar with. Nobody whipped Fianna Fail councillors."
He noted that five councillors, including himself, voted for Maria Steen to receive a nomination. "There is a total disconnect in Fianna Fail between people on the ground. Perhaps other parties are more in tune with their councillors or give them an opportunity to participate. We were never going to bullied or cajoled by Fianna Fail headquarters or any unelected members to tell us what to do in Leitrim County Council."
He said that he believed had Ms Steen been successful in her bid to gain a nomination from Leitrim County Council, it might have given "other councils to consider her seriously."