Gilmore, Kenny call for O'Donoghue to resign

The leaders of Fine Gael and the Labour party have both called on Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue to resign.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore today told Mr O’Donoghue it was time for him to resign or be removed from office.

In a tense moment during leaders’ questions in the Dáil, Mr Gilmore spoke directly to the speaker who has been embroiled in controversy over his expenses.

“Ceann Comhairle, I regret to say this but I consider your position is no longer tenable,” he said. “I think you will either have to resign or I think you will have to be removed from office.”

Mr Gilmore said the Labour Party would now be tabling a motion of no confidence in Mr O’Donoghue.

At the weekend, the Labour leader called for urgent talks with all political party chiefs after the latest disclosures about Mr O’Donoghue’s spending of taxpayers’ money on top class flights, limousines and VIP airport lounges.

Mr Gilmore said he was particularly disappointed that Taoiseach Brian Cowen would not agree to a meeting and rejected the Fianna Fáil leader’s claim that the Oireachtas Commission was the appropriate place to deal with the fall-out.

In an attempt to save his job, the embattled Ceann Comhairle promised to make “detailed proposals” to the Oireachtas Commission tomorrow in direct response to Opposition criticism of his expenses.

Mr Gilmore insisted he did not want to bring up the controversy in front of the Ceann Comhairle in the Dáil but said he was left with no choice after his call for a cross-party consensus was rejected.

Later, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Ceann Comhairle had no option but to resign.

“I had sought to avoid the politicisation of the office of Ceann Comhairle by proposing that John O’Donoghue attend the Oireachtas Commission meeting tomorrow.

"That would have provided him with an opportunity to account for his expenses and for expenditure incurred on his behalf. In the present circumstances, this is no longer realistic.”

Mr Kenny added: “In the interests of the independence of the office of Ceann Comhairle, John O’Donoghue should resign forthwith.”

Sinn Féin were first to call for Mr O’Donoghue’s resignation.