Enda Kenny rules out relying on Michael Lowry

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has flatly ruled out relying on the support of Independent TD Michael Lowry to make up the numbers to form a government.

However, Mr Kenny left the door open on the possibility of negotiating with other TDs besides Labour after the election, stressing that any deal for support would be made public.

His comments come after the Taoiseach was plagued by weeks of questions over whether he was willing to rely on or seek the support of Mr Lowry after the election.

The Tipperary TD has flatly denied findings by the Moriarty Tribunal that he received payments from businessman Denis O’Brien in relation to the awarding of the State’s second mobile phone licence.

The Moriarty report concluded he had assisted Mr O’Brien, who also denies the claims, in acquiring the phone licence. Mr Lowry had “insidious and pervasive” influence on the licence competition, received £447,000 from Mr O’Brien and imparted “substantive information” which helped the businessman’s Esat consortium win the bid.

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Mr Kenny, a party colleague of Mr Lowry’s when the former minister was in Fine Gael, refused in recent weeks to rule out seeking his support.

However, on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday, Mr Kenny ruled out such a scenario, saying: “I will not have any dealings with Michael Lowry, or any other Independent.”

However, when asked if any secret deal with Independents would be published if he was returned as Taoiseach, Mr Kenny said

any deals with Labour, or others, would in future be published.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Alan Kelly has denied trying to interfere with the editorial process on Newstalk radio after he made strong objections to Mr Lowry receiving airtime.

He also denied threatening a broadcaster this week.

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