Independent Shane Ross defends Kenny ‘political corpse’ comment
An unrepentant Mr Ross was pressed about his comments at Leinster House yesterday, but said he was merely reflecting reality.
He made the assertions in his weekly column in the Sunday Independent and his colleagues were called on by the media to either stand by or distance themselves from the comments. The six-strong Dáil grouping strongly backed Mr Ross, saying they shared his views.
The remarks were widely seen as overly personal and vulgar by other politicians.
“I agree and share Shane’s view,” Dublin Bay North Independent TD Finian McGrath said.
Both Mr McGrath and Michael Fitzmaurice said it was abundantly clear there were questions about Mr Kenny’s future as Fine Gael leader.
They added they wanted to be sure they were speaking to people with full authority to do a deal.
The Independent Alliance members were speaking to the media after they held talks with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, ahead of a first vote to elect a taoiseach on Thursday.
The meeting ran over and the press conference was delayed as a result.
The group had met with Mr Kenny last week.
“Sometime in the middle of the exchanges an awful truth dawned. We were possibly in dialogue with a political corpse,” Mr Ross wrote of the meeting with the Taoiseach last Friday at Government Buildings.
Despite claims on Sunday that the group would abstain from the vote for taoiseach on Thursday, Mr Ross told the Irish Examiner that they had yet to ultimately decide on a course of action.
Mr Ross said it may be as late as Thursday morning before they announce their intentions. But the group was very positive about their meeting with Mr Martin which lasted more than 90 minutes.
He said Mr Martin distinguished himself in terms of his engagement in a way Mr Kenny did not.
Mr Ross said the Fianna Fáil leader showed “more energy” in his approach.
“He’s hungry and he wishes to put forward some very radical proposals and we didn’t see that from the Taoiseach last week,” he said.
Several members of the Independent Alliance have expressed deep concern about voting for Mr Kenny given that the electorate rejected his government.
Mr Ross said they presented Mr Martin with a move to end the Taoiseach’s absolute power to call a general election by fixing Dáil terms at five years.
The group also sought measures to end political cronyism in state board appointments and remove political influence from appointing judges.
The Independent Alliance also wants to end the secrecy surrounding the workings of the Dáil committee on procedure and privileges. This regulates the parliament and deals with disciplinary issues.
Michael Fitzmaurice, who represents Roscommon- Galway, said Mr Martin was receptive to the idea of appointing a rural affairs minister and so-called “rural proofing” of major policies to ensure they promoted regional development.
MichaelFitzmauriceTDCREDITFacebook_large.jpg[/timcap]
Mr McGrath said he presented demands on health and disability services reforms as well as measures to tackle gangland crime.
The new TD for Galway East, Seán Canney, said he spoke about balanced regional development.
The four were accompanied by Longford-Westmeath TD, Kevin “Boxer” Moran. The other member of the group, John Halligan of Waterford, did not meet with reporters at Leinster House.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
