Taoiseach should sack at least four of his Cabinet, says senior TD

THE Taoiseach needs to sack at least four of his Cabinet and half of his Junior Ministers, according to one of his most senior TDs.

Ned O’Keeffe says Mr Ahern badly needs to introduce fresh blood to revive the fortunes of the Government. “The Cabinet are letting the Taoiseach down and seem to lack vision and flair. The existing Cabinet is tired because of having a good time in the last Government.”

While holding to his view that the Government is right wing, Deputy O’Keeffe says Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy has been used as a fall guy by Cabinet colleagues. “Having worked with Charlie McCreevy on the Finance and General Affairs Committee, I have to say he is fair, he has an understanding of people and an understanding of business. It isn’tMcCreevy is the problem. It’s the ministers who give him the estimates that don’t put them together properly and make McCreevy look right wing.”