Ministers ‘livid’ over Kenny’s banking inquiry move
Junior health minister and Labour leadership contender Alex White said ensuring a government majority on the investigation by adding two extra senators was “the sort of behaviour that gives politics a bad name”.
As Coalition leaders scrambled to try to contain the row, Labour senator John Whelan said ministers were “livid” over the way the issue had been handled and that the Government was now a “laughing stock” as a result of its manoeuvrings.
“At the highest level of Government, I would say government ministers are livid at what has happened,” the senator said.
Mr Kenny defended his actions, saying a Government majority on the probe reflects “the will of the people”.
The Taoiseach branded opposition senators who compared his actions to those of Hitler and Stalin as “hysterical”.
Independent TD Stephen Donnelly said he was considering resigning from the inquiry in protest at the way Mr Kenny had expanded the panel to make sure it had an in-built Government majority.
Failure by Government nominee Susan O’Keeffe and another Labour senator to show up for a committee meeting last week saw Fianna Fáil senator Marc McSharry voted onto the probe instead.
After Mr Kenny insisted the Coalition must be able to out-vote others on the investigation, the panel was extended from nine members with Ms O’Keeffe added, along with Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy.
Ms O’Keeffe will be the only woman on the 11-member probe.
Independent panel member and Trinity economist Senator Sean Barrett said the way the Government had “politicised” the investigation would delight the bankers who are due to be called to account by it for their actions in the crash.
Sinn Féin, which is not represented at all on the probe, branded Mr Kenny’s actions as “gerrymandering”.
Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the way the Government had behaved damaged the credibility of the probe.
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