Deputy criticised NAMA – after voting for it

NED O’Keeffe TD has said NAMA could “create a bigger mess for us than we’ve ever seen in our life before” and that Brian Lenihan’s judgment is “not great in the whole area of finance”. (RTÉ News at One, March 29).

He also expressed the view that “Brian Lenihan’s plan won’t work and it might destroy our whole banking system”.

This is an astonishing statement, considering that Deputy O’Keeffe voted in favour of NAMA at all stages in the Dáil last September. When addressing the Dáil at the time, he did not mix his words when giving support to Minister Lenihan and the setting up of NAMA.

He said at the time that NAMA was “innovative” and “a wonderful and badly needed rescue of the economy”, as well as predicting that it would be “profitable” for the taxpayer and “in two or three years’ time will make an unexpected return to the Exchequer”. He went on to laud the Minster for Finance for his “courage, innovation and imagination” and pledged his support to the NAMA project “with great pride”. I have no problem with a TD, or anyone else, having a change of opinion on any policy or issue. What is striking about Deputy O’Keeffe’s attack on Minister Lenihan and NAMA is that he went on to say he is a member of Fianna Fáil and will vote with the party.

Surely at a time of such crisis for our country, any TD who sees a policy as having the potential to “destroy the banking system” and “create a bigger mess for us than we’ve ever seen” would vote against such a policy.

It seems, like other government backbenchers who have been vocal recently, Deputy O’Keeffe talks tough, but then votes soft. This, and other recent statements from Government backbenchers, should be seen as a desperate scramble for the lifeboats.

Cllr Patrick O’Driscoll (FG)

Duntaheen Road

Fermoy

Co Cork