McDowell focuses on ‘repairing damage’
Tánaiste and PD leader Michael McDowell ended his party’s 24-hour silence on the matter yesterday when he stated: “The Government is safe if the damage to the Government that has been done in recent times is repaired and that’s my focus.”
But there was a clear sense Mr McDowell was leaving enough leg-room for his party to change tack should further revelations emerge, hence the conditional nature of his commitment to the coalition.
He stressed that the damage had been caused solely by Fianna Fáil and not the PDs, but that the coalition partners could continue working together.
“I always believed that the two parties in Government have the capacity to overcome the difficulties, which were not of my creation or my party’s creation and to get on with the business of Government.”
Mr McDowell refused to say whether he was satisfied with the explanations proffered by Mr Ahern regarding the issues surrounding the purchase of his house. Instead, he said he would raise the matters privately with Mr Ahern, whom he met last night and will meet again today.
Mr McDowell was speaking at an impromptu press conference on the steps of Dublin’s Conrad Hotel where he had arrived to attend a fundraising luncheon for PD Deputy Fiona O’Malley.
He repeated several times the line about his focus. Asked, for instance, whether he was annoyed by the events of the past fortnight, he replied: “I don’t use words like ‘annoyed’ or things like that. What I am concerned about is that the damage which was done to Government should be repaired, that’s my focus.”
Asked how the damage could be repaired, he said: “That’s the focus of myself and the Taoiseach at the moment.”
He failed to give a direct answer when asked if there was a rift between the coalition partners, instead saying: “The two parties, and I want to particularly thank my colleagues in the Progressive Democrats, have been very careful not to say things which will aggravate the situation, but to concentrate on repairing the damage that was done to Government.”
He said that too much had been read into the PDs’ failure to publicly comment on the matter for 24 hours between Thursday, when Mr Ahern answered questions in the Dáil about his house purchase, and yesterday morning.
“We don’t want this Government to break down. That is our position. If it does, it won’t be Fianna Fáil or any of our ministers [who are responsible].”
“[Michael McDowell is] in a very difficult position. He’s just three weeks into his new job and there are issues here; there are serious issues here… But I hope we can use the good relationships we have — Michael McDowell and I have very good relationships with our colleagues in Government — to bring a resolution to the difficulties that have arisen.”
“A couple of issues have arisen which are being dealt with by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste… and we’ll leave it with them… We’re all hoping that these matters can be resolved with common sense.”
“This Government is anxious to carry on. It isn’t the time for megaphone diplomacy. It’s a time that our two most senior politicians will work out their own situation, and I believe they will.”
“The Government is safe if the damage to the Government that has been done in recent times is repaired, and that’s my focus.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
