Micheál Martin denies Tánaiste blocked Brendan McDonagh housing appointment

Fianna Fáil pushes back on criticism of James Browne as coalition tensions rise over failed McDonagh appointment

Housing minister James Browne has come under fire. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Fianna Fáil has hit back at the idea that housing minister James Browne did not alert its ministers to the proposed appointment of Brendan McDonagh as head of the housing activation office.

Mr McDonagh on Thursday withdrew from consideration from the role, with multiple sources blaming Mr Browne's handling of the process. 

However, speaking in Cork on Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin denied that Tánaiste Simon Harris had blocked the appointment and said that Mr Browne had had engagements with finance minister Paschal Donohoe in the lead-up to the botched appointment.

While Mr Martin said it was "not correct" to say Mr Harris had blocked the appointment, Fianna Fáil sources railed against what they felt were unfair criticisms of Mr Browne, saying that the issue had been discussed for weeks before Mr McDonagh's name became public 10 days ago. 

However, Mr Martin did say that at no point had Mr McDonagh's retention of the €430,000 per year he earns as the head of Nama been discussed.

“I can’t comment on briefings; all I can say is what transpired. No salary was ever discussed… the name did surface publicly, and again, I'm not clear how that emerged at the time, I mean, earlier, so as to speak,” the Taoiseach said.

Paschal Donohoe, centre, with Nama chairman Frank Daly, right, and Nama chief Brendan McDonagh in 2017. Picture: Brian Lawless

“The minister would have spoken to the line minister Pascal Donohoe, because of the role of the NTMA and Nama and seeking permission around the secondment issue and so on. But look, we're going to press ahead with this and get this established.

"There was no issue with the quality of Brendan McDonagh. Paschal Donohoe would have worked with him, Paschal has very strong admiration for him as has everybody around the table," Mr Martin said.

Mr Browne was also in Cork and was asked about an Oireachtas-wide survey by Newstalk in which 57% of respondents named him as the weakest performer in the Cabinet.

"When I look at my first 100 days since I was appointed, I was appointed with a very strong remit which is to go out, make decisions, and get things moving for housing. 

"We have the right strategy, the Government is providing record funding, the second highest funding across Europe to deliver those homes.

"But where there is a gap and we need to bridge that gap, is between the strategy and the funding and then output on the ground.

"And that’s why the housing activation office is so important, to be able to operationalise on the ground to get those homes moving."