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.”

Top of his hit list is Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh who, he says, lacks understanding of his portfolio. “I believe Joe Walsh has no feeling for Irish farming, especially the smaller farmer. He identifies too much with big business in agriculture and the racehorse industry. He has shown no innovation or imagination.”

The former Junior Minister for Agriculture also says the time has come for a Department of Food to be established to divide the food industry from agriculture. “Food is outside the farm gate and agriculture is inside it,” he said, ahead of this week’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting in Sligo.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Deputy O’Keeffe says he knew people were out to get him ahead of reports which led to his resignation as Minister of State two years ago. He is still on the backbenches and accepts that he has little chance of getting back into ministerial office. “No, I don’t think it will happen. My name will never be cleared unless I get reappointed.”

The Cork East TD also says a golden opportunity has been missed to reform the entire Dáil system in line with the ban on TDs and senators holding council seats.

“We could have a more civilised Dáil and we could start on a Monday at 2pm or 4pm and sit until 12 noon on Friday. There should be far more Dáil sitting days,” he says.

The poll topping TD is also severely critical of the present Seanad. “I think this Seanad will be our worst Seanad in a long time. We don’t have great representation from the vocations and business. The Seanad is an august body, but now there is too much politics.”