FF wants Seanad by-election called off

Fianna Fáil have called for an upcoming Seanad by-election to be cancelled, claiming Fine Gael has abused the appointment process.

Party leader Micheál Martin said the appointment of a Fine Gael member to a museum state board to boost his credentials ahead of his nomination for the Seanad had betrayed a pledge to reform politics.

He called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to also apologise to the Irish Museum of Modern Art for involving them in the political scandal and restart the Seanad replacement process.

Fine Gael party member John McNulty was controversially nominated by the Government to IMMA’s board just six days before his name was put forth for the Seanad cultural and educational panel.

He resigned from IMMA’s board yesterday amid widescale criticism of the process, including from Fine Gael TDs, and senators.

Mr Martin said the first thing the Taoiseach should do was “apologise” to the board of Imma.

He added: “The next thing he should do is announce today that the by-election process to replace MEP Deirdre Clune has been suspended and that the process will begin again.”

Sinn Féin leader deputy Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Kenny had dragged “stroke politics” from the past back into politics by having Mr McNulty nominated to IMMA’s board in order to facilitate his entry into the Seanad by-election.

However, Ms McDonald also asked in the Dáil what position Coalition partners Labour took on the issue.

“Given the stink of cronyism that hangs around this turn of events, will the Labour Party fall in behind Fine Gael once again and support Mr McNulty’s nomination?” she asked.

Labour leader Joan Burton said it was the Coalition partner’s own business filling the vacant seat. However, Mr Martin said Labour would be culpable if they supported Mr McNulty’s position for the seat in the by-election on October 10.