Ahern orders ministers to hold weekly ‘clinics’ for FF backbenchers

MINISTERS were ordered by the Taoiseach last night to hold “clinics” for Fianna Fáil backbenchers every Tuesday night.

As the fallout from his Cabinet reshuffle continues unabated, sacked minister Dr Jim McDaid was involved in a brief but tense face-off with Bertie Ahern at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting.

The former Cabinet and junior minister challenged the Taoiseach at the end of the meeting over whether Fianna Fáil would go into government with Sinn Féin after the next election.

In response, Mr Ahern said the answer was still “No” as Fianna Fáil’s policy was quite clear on the matter and has not changed.

FF TDs and senators attending the meeting said they thought the Donegal North-East TD was going to have a go at the Taoiseach about being dropped from the ministerial ranks and interpreted the raising of the Sinn Féin issue as a means of expressing his dissatisfaction.

“It certainly created a bit of tension,” a FF TD said.

In another sign of a major policy change on Community Employment Schemes, Micheál Martin will meet with a delegation of FF backbenchers to discuss their concerns over the impact of reductions in the programme.

The FF group meeting with Mr Martin next Tuesday is expected to be headed by Limerick West TD, John Cregan, Cork North Central TD Billy Kelleher, and Dublin Mid-West TD John Curran.

Also at last night’s meeting, Mr Ahern announced that Cabinet and junior ministers will be available in their offices every Tuesday night to meet with TDs and senators to listen to views.

Amid suggestions from the Fianna Fáil backbenches that his controversial reshuffle has left him as a “lame duck” reminiscent of the Albert Reynolds era, Mr Ahern heads off on a 10-day visit to South East Asia and the Gulf today.

Last night, the Taoiseach’s spokesperson said the trip to Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Bahrain was planned months ago.

“It has nothing to do with the timing of the reshuffle,” the spokesperson said.

Opposition leaders continued to play up speculation over the reshuffle.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said: “With this business about the Cabinet, it seems as if the Taoiseach has moved from being the ‘Teflon Taoiseach’ to the ‘Tippex Taoiseach’.”

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said: “What did the poor people of Ireland do to deserve Seamus Brennan as Minister for Social Welfare?”