Howlin says Burton not licensed to ‘go rogue’

Joan Burton does not have a licence to “go rogue” on controversial issues, Cabinet colleague Brendan Howlin has insisted.

The Public Sector Reform Minister dismissed claims there is a leadership ploy to allow Ms Burton to say things that might annoy Fine Gael but would chime well with Labour voters. “I don’t accept that, we operate as a team with one agenda,” Mr Howlin said.

Ms Burton has appeared to break ranks in recent months with outspoken remarks linking a yes vote in the looming EU referendum with an ECB deal on banking debts, and taking a strong line on ministerial contact with people against whom tribunals have found negatively.

Some within the Labour parliamentary party have speculated that the Social Protection Minister may be positioning herself for a future leadership challenge. However, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he was not worried by any threat to his leadership and insisted the party was united behind him.

Mr Howlin said there was no “good cop/bad cop” strategy involving Ms Burton.

He also hit out at critics within the party, insisting that some would have preferred the “comfort of opposition” to going into power with Fine Gael.

Mr Howlin said people realised Labour did not have a free hand in Government.

“By and large, people understand the awful dilemma we’re in. And although they changed government last year, people understand they didn’t change the economy.

“The economic circumstances, the level of debt, the hole that we’re in, is there. They know now there is a Government with a clear view of how to get out of that hole.

“We have to engage with people and not pretend that there are soft or easy options,” he told RTÉ.

Minister of State for Primary Care Róisín Shortall said the tone of the weekend conference would be a “sombre” one.