Party members share anger over so-called 'naughty list' at Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting 

Party chief whip Mary Butler told the meeting that she was not aware of any list

Willie O'Dea and Seán Ó Fearghaíl in the Dáil chamber. Mr Ó Fearghaíl, was said to have joked at the meeting about being considered the 'old guard', while being the same age as Micheál Martin. File picture: Houses of Oireachtas

Fianna Fáil TDs named on a circulated list of so-called rebels have criticised the party leadership at a private meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting, the first of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party since the presidential election, saw “angry contributions” from individuals listed on what has been described as a “naughty list”, one source said.

However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin was not present at the meeting on Wednesday evening, as he is in Brazil for COP30.

One source at the meeting said there was “disappointment and anger” over the sharing of the list, with criticism over it coming from sources in Government Buildings.

The anger erupted last week after the list became public, with the so-called rebels including Cork TDs James O’Connor, Seamus McGrath, and Pádraig O’Sullivan, as well as Erin McGreehan, John McGuinness, John Lahart, Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere, and Senator Anne Rabbitte.

It also named several TDs — part of the “old guard” — who would welcome change, including Willie O’Dea, Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher, and former Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl.

One TD named on the list, Mr Cleere, told the meeting that he was offended at being labelled a rebel, given that he comes from Kilkenny.

It’s bad enough to be on a naughty list, but as a proud Kilkenny hurling man to be called a rebel is a step too far.

Multiple sources said that party chair, Brendan Smith, criticised the sharing of a list, saying it was “disrespectful” to TDs.

Former Ceann Comhairle, Sean Ó Fearghaíl, was said to have joked at the meeting about being considered the “old guard”, while being the same age as Mr Martin.

There were calls for Mr Martin to address the issue surrounding the list, sources said.

However, chief whip Mary Butler told the meeting that she was not aware of any list.

It is understood she suggested that it would be “easy for a journalist” to put a list together and argued that journalists can gauge from members of the party’s public media appearances who is on what side.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen made a rare in-person appearance at the meeting to demand action on the nitrates derogation for farmers.

Mr Cowen is understood to have been well received, telling members that the discussions on the derogation are "too important to sit out".

Mr Cowen told the meeting that the Irish State could take a "short-sighted" approach to a European-wide deal on the derogation, which he believes could hurt farmers. He said he has asked for a meeting with the Taoiseach and that Mr Martin should address the parliamentary party.

The former minister, who is now a member of the European Parliament's Agriculture committee, said that while he understands the challenge of improving water standards, European demands that dairy farms also be subject to the EU's Habitats Directive would "paralyse" agriculture.

Mr Cowen said he believes that a deal could be announced when European Agriculture Commissioner Jessika Roswall visits Ireland this week. He said he feared Fianna Fáil could damage itself by celebrating a deal which does damage to its "rural base".