Fianna Fáil leadership ‘did not pressure Collins to quit party whip’

FIANNA FÁIL denied last night that pressure applied directly by the party leadership led disgraced tax evader Michael Collins to resign the party whip.

It also vowed to proceed swiftly with its own investigation into Mr Collins’s conduct to see if he broke party rules, despite his resignation from the parliamentary party.

According to a Fianna Fáil spokesperson, the Limerick West TD resigned voluntarily and was not asked by the party leadership to go or contacted by the Taoiseach or other senior party figures ahead of his resignation.

The brother of Munster MEP Gerry Collins will now join the ranks of the Independent TDs in Dáil Éireann and says he is embarrassed by the issue. His resignation on Saturday came just four hours after Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue said he unequivocally condemned Mr Collins for his actions. The day before the Taoiseach had said tax evasion was not tolerated in Fianna Fáil.

In his settlement with the Revenue Commissioners, the 62-year-old TD handed over €130,602 to the taxman, including €98,600 in interest and penalties.

Fianna Fáil’s internal disciplinary committee, headed by parliamentary party chairman Séamus Kirk, will begin its inquiry this week.

The FF Standards In Public Life Committee also includes FF general secretary Seán Dorgan; Bar Council chairman Conor Maguire SC and FF Senator Jim Walsh.

But Mr Collins is still insisting that he is not guilty of breaches of ethics laws for TDs, claiming that he complied at all times with the legal requirements of the Standards in Public Office Commission.

Mr Collins’s departure will not affect the Government’s majority ahead of the Coalition coming under intense pressure on numerous fronts as the Dáil returns from its summer break tomorrow.

Aside from the controversy over Mr Collins and drink-driving backbencher GV Wright, Fine Gael will seek to highlight the Government’s failure to get a return for the €1.2m in wage increases under benchmarking.

Labour will place the spotlight on the resignation of Justice Mary Laffoy. The Green Party wants a debate on the tax-vetting procedures for TDs and is also calling for legal loopholes allowing drink-driving TDs to claim constitutional immunity to be closed.