Ex-FG candidate quits as director of Irish Water

A failed Fine Gael election candidate has resigned as a director of Irish Water after criticism over his second job as a paid personal driver for one of the party’s ministers.

As pressure mounts on the Coalition over accusations of cronyism, former Waterford councillor Hilary Quinlan stepped down from the paid position yesterday.

Outrage was expressed that the director was given the paid job to drive around junior environment minister Paudie Coffey.

Mr Quinlan had also said there was nothing wrong in political parties looking “after their own”, reports said.

But Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday confirmed the resignation to the Dáil. Irish Water also confirmed its chairman had received Mr Quinlan’s resignation.

It comes after increased focus on politicians getting state body appointments or jobs.

Several Fine Gael and Labour politicians who failed to get elected in May’s local elections have been put on state board positions. Both parties promised a new way of doing politics before entering government.

Earlier, Tánaiste Joan Burton said she expected Mr Coffey to address concerns that he hired an Irish Water director as his driver.

Mr Coffey is a Waterford TD and junior minister at the Department of Environment, which has responsibility for Irish Water.

In the Dáil, Waterford TD John Halligan said there was “outrage” over the hiring of Mr Quinlan as the minister’s driver.

Mr Coffey defended appointing him as a driver but said he accepted the perception was wrong about the situation.

Speaking to Today FM, he said he had known Mr Quinlan for years and that the Waterford man was unemployed when he hired him.

“He’s remaining on as my civilian driver. I do welcome the fact that he’s resigned from the Irish Water board today because I think it removes any doubt or confusion of any potential conflict of interest.”

The junior minister did admit that the perception or optics of the situation looked “wrong”.

Mr Coffey also outlined how his county colleague had come to be a director of Irish Water.

He said that Hilary Quinlan was a former president of city and county councils, adding: “It was that body that nominated him for the position.”

The minister also said it was a cross-party nomination.