O’Dea’s downfall pioneered a new way for politics

Dan Boyle’s new book is the first insider account of the Fianna Fáil-Green government and the economic and banking disasters that struck on its watch. Today, in the second and final extract from the book, he outlines the central role which he and social media site Twitter played in the 2010 resignation of Fianna Fáil defence minister Willie O’Dea

IN Limerick, an aside from minister for defence Willie O’Dea made during the white heat of the local election

campaign was creating legal as well as political fallout.

A comment made by O’Dea to a reporter suggested that Sinn Féin candidate Maurice Quinlivan should be concerned with a family connection to an alleged brothel in the city. Legal proceedings followed, with an affidavit provided by O’Dea not being seen to be consistent with a subsequent statement.

Fine Gael senator Eugene Regan began following this issue doggedly, claiming the veracity of a cabinet minister was an issue of public confidence. Fine Gael chose to take the issue to the Dáil floor. Its announcement of its intention to table the motion brought the usual government knee-jerk response of immediately tabling a motion of confidence by the government chief whip, Pat Carey.

When organising government business that morning, Pat Carey firstly told John Gormley, then told (Green programme manager) Donal Geoghegan, and finally told Ciaran Cuffe as Green Party whip. No objections were raised. Later that day, in the coffee dock of Leinster House, I met with Donal Geoghehan and Ciaran Cuffe who told me about the vote of confidence, and that it would be supported by the party’s TDs. I was furious. I wanted to know how the decision was made without a parliamentary party meeting being held.

Throughout the day, I had received messages from Green Party members stating their unhappiness at voting confidence in O’Dea. Unhappy as I also was, I felt that there was little I could do about it.

John Gormley had not objected to a vote of confidence being taken, but he was not going to go on record as expressing confidence. Pat Carey wanted a Green ministerial speaker. John would not participate in the debate, and insisted that Eamon Ryan speak instead. Eamon was reluctant. He later delivered a caveat-filled, equivocating speech he was to later accept as his worst moment in politics…

I watched with disgust as O’Dea and Dermot Ahern engaged in pantomime barracking of the opposition, avoiding the central issue of confidence. I decided then that I would express my individual unhappiness.

The issue of perjury was something the judicial system would determine; for me the real issue was the appropriateness of a minister talking about brothels and engaging in innuendo as a means of standard political discourse.

My first foray on the issue was responding to criticisms being made on Facebook. There I stated that I would not have voted confidence and believed that Willie O’Dea should resign.

I later tweeted. I was fully conscious of what I was doing and the likely effect it would have, or if it didn’t that I would have to resign.

Journalist followers picked up on what I was saying ... By the following morning, what the Government had hoped was put to bed had extra legs. The Green parliamentary party met and stayed in session throughout the day. Ciaran Cuffe and Mary White expressed their disappointment that I had done what I had done. Paul Gogarty had gone on Morning Ireland to directly contradict me, saying that what Willie O’Dea did was wrong but that he shouldn’t resign.

John Gormley and Eamon Ryan were not critical. I suspect that was because they realised that a mistake had been made in supporting the vote of confidence and it needed to be corrected. John spoke with Willie O’Dea, who told him that he would be exonerated by an article in the Limerick Leader due for publication the following day.

Willie O’Dea was also to be interviewed on the News at One on RTÉ Radio 1. Interviewer Sean O’Rourke cut straight to the chase: “Minister, you’re a dirty little fighter, aren’t you?” From then on in, O’Dea was on the defensive. The performance did nothing to inspire confidence.

Throughout the afternoon, John Gormley shuttled between the taoiseach’s office and the Green parliamentary meeting. It was clear that the taoiseach didn’t want and wasn’t going to ask Willie O’Dea to resign. Late in the

afternoon we received the proofs of the Limerick Leader. The article did not exonerate O’Dea.

By that stage, the vast majority of the Green parliamentary party believed that O’Dea had to go. We indicated that we were to issue a statement at six o’clock. That was taken as a signal by Fianna Fáil.

Before six, we were told that the Taoiseach was meeting Willie O’Dea. We held off making a statement until the results were known. Within the hour, we were told that Willie O’Dea had resigned as minister for defence.

Whatever the politics of this controversy, it was clear that for most of the people involved we were now dealing with a new set of circumstances. The following morning, Brian Cowen took John Gormley aside and asked: “John, what is this Twitter all about?”

Without Power Or Glory — The Greens In Government will be launched this week. Political editor Paul O’Brien will host a live Q&A on irishexaminer.com with Boyle at 1pm today. Your questions are welcome.