Brennan predicts let-off for Cullen over PR contracts

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen may well be exonerated this week by the independent inquiry into contracts awarded to PR consultant Monica Leech, a senior Cabinet colleague predicted last night.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brennan said last night that he had a ‘hunch’ the embattled minister carried out procedures properly.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, Mr Brennan said that he had no information on the report by former Revenue head Dermot Quigley into contracts awarded to Ms Leech by the Department of the Environment and the OPW when Mr Cullen was minister.

However, Mr Brennan went on to say that Mr Cullen did have the support and encouragement of his Cabinet colleagues. “I have a hunch that he did the procedures properly. This is what he says. If he says that to me as a friend and as his Cabinet colleague, I take his word for that.”

Mr Brennan was responding to media reports at the weekend that Mr Quigley’s report has made no finding against Mr Cullen of such an adverse nature that it would put his Cabinet position in jeopardy. A Government spokesperson said yesterday it would make no comment on speculation ahead of the publication of the report (Mr Ahern is expected to receive the report early this week).

Elsewhere, Tánaiste Mary Harney said that the Cabinet would wait to see what the outcome of the report was before it decided “what the future of any particular minister is”.

Fine Gael’s Phil Hogan said his party would accept the outcome of the enquiry, and the enquiry conducted by the Standards in Public Office Commission, as both were independent.

Ms Leech, a constituency supporter of the minister has earned over €310,000 since July 2002 for a media consultancy contract.