Kenny backs Hogan over TD meeting

Enda Kenny has stood over Phil Hogan’s decision to meet disgraced TD Michael Lowry in the immediate days after the Moriarty Report’s release, despite two ministers questioning the meeting.

The matter has caused fresh tensions between the Coalition partners, with a senior Fine Gael TD openly questioning if Labour’s Joan Burton, the social protection minister, had a “death wish” against the Government following her criticism of the meeting.

Mr Kenny phoned Environment Minister Phil Hogan about the issue yesterday, after details of the meeting on Mar 28 last year were revealed in the Irish Examiner.