Lowry lobbied last government for ‘not bad looking’ adviser O’Reilly

Independent TD Michael Lowry has confirmed he lobbied the previous government to get a former adviser onto a state board and that he has no regrets pressing the Coalition for her reappointment.

He also denied that saying public relations advisor Valerie O’Reilly was “not bad looking” constituted a sexist remark.

The Tipperary TD said he had spoken to Noel Dempsey about getting Ms O’Reilly on the board of the National Transport Authority.

Mr Lowry is facing criticism for slipping a note to Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Dáil last week in which he said Ms O’Reilly was “not bad looking” and should be reappointed to the NTA board. He denied that the remark was “sexist”, describing it as “light-hearted”.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said Mr Lowry also approached him on Ms O’Reilly’s behalf.

Mr Lowry last night said he had approached a minister in relation to Ms O’Reilly’s original appointment in March 2010.

Asked if he had discussed the issue with a member of the previous government, he said: “Yes, whoever was the minister of the day.”

Mr Dempsey was transport minister when Ms O’Reilly was appointed.

He said Ms O’Reilly had made a submission for the role, adding: “It’s quite possible that I did [speak to the minister]. I mentioned it to the minister of the day in the previous government. I can’t remember what I said.”

Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael minister, gave conditional support to the previous government, backing the Fianna Fáil-Green coalition in Dáil votes.

Mr Donohoe yesterday criticised Mr Lowry for saying in the note that Ms O’Reilly was “not bad looking” and should be reappointed to the board.

“The only thing I am going to look at in relation to the reappointment of anybody to the state board is how they have performed in that job when they have been on the board,” he said.

Mr Lowry had written in the note: “Taoiseach, would you please consider reappointing Valerie O’Reilly to the board of the NTA. A woman, bright, intelligent and not bad looking either! Michael Lowry.”

Ms O’Reilly was a former press advisor for Mr Lowry and has her own public relations firm. She has served on the board of the NTA since 2009 and has been paid over €63,000, including expenses, for her role, the NTA said. Her five-year term on the board is finished soon and Mr Donohoe will decide if she is reappointed or not.

Mr Donohoe said he was approached by Mr Lowry about the issue in the Seanad last Wednesday.

“He also did briefly approach me about it,” he said.

“I heard what he had to say. I made no comment in relation to this to him.”

He said remarks about Ms O’Reilly’s looks were “absolutely not” appropriate. He said a decision on reappointing someone on a board was influenced by their work, not their looks.

Mr Lowry yesterday denied on RTÉ radio that the remarks about Ms O’Reilly’s looks were sexist.

He said it was a light-hearted remark and said passing notes in the Dáil was not uncommon. He added that he had no difficulty in having made approaches about his former adviser.