O’Dea: Exodus resembles ‘flight out of Egypt’

WILLIE O’DEA has become the latest senior Fianna Fáil figure to criticise the exodus of ministers from the party, saying the situation resembled “the flight out of Egypt”.

Senior ministers Noel Dempsey, Dermot Ahern and Tony Killeen have all announced they will retire at the election. Junior minister Michael Finneran has done likewise, as have a number of Fianna Fáil TDs.

But Mr O’Dea, himself a Cabinet minister until forced to step down last year after smearing a political rival, said the spate of retirements was “horrendous” and “demoralising” for the party.