‘Reputations of all politicians smeared by untruths’

THE reputation of all politicians has been “smeared” by the untrue court statement made by Willie O’Dea, according to Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny in opposition to a motion of confidence in the Defence Minister.

Mr Kenny said a “lack of morality is endemic” in the Fianna Fáil party which “smears the good name of every member of this House by association”.

But Fianna Fáil accused Mr Kenny of raising the issue of Mr O’Dea’s court settlement to distract from concerns about his own leadership and last week’s resignation of George Lee.

Fine Gael was due to table a motion of no confidence in the minister over his involvement in a court settlement with a Sinn Féin councillor who sued him for defamation over claims he owned a brothel.

The Government preempted this by tabling a motion of confidence yesterday evening, which it won by 80 votes to 69.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the Fine Gael motion was “completely spurious and just a diversion” and that the opposition were “taking the low road to high office”. Mr Cowen insisted that “perjury does not arise” in the case and that it was “despicable that some have suggested it”.

In a reference to Labour forcing the resignation of Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue last year, the Taoiseach said Mr Kenny was “tabling motions of no confidence because he is afraid that if he doesn’t another party will and the leader of Fine Gael will be seen as once again being behind the curve”.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan echoed this, claiming the issue has been suddenly raised in recent days “because of the discomfiture of the opposition at the departure of former Deputy George Lee”.

Mr Lenihan said: “The public interest in his matter ended when it was settled out of court to the satisfaction of the two parties involved.”

The confidence issue goes beyond the behaviour of Mr O’Dea, according to Eamon Gilmore, who said his party “has no confidence in this Government as a collective entity or in the ministers in their individual capacities”.

Green Minister Eamon Ryan was taunted by the opposition when he gave a weak defence of his FF colleague in Government.

Labour’s Joan Burton said Mr Ryan “spoke as though there was a large peg on his nose”.