Kenny dismisses FG adviser's hint of Sinn Fein coalition deal
Monday June 01 2009
FINE Gael leader Enda Kenny was last night forced to embarrassingly contradict his closest adviser, who claimed the party would strike a coalition deal with Sinn Fein.
In a significant statement, the party's director of elections, Frank Flannery, said yesterday Sinn Fein was now a "legitimate political party" which Fine Gael could work with.
Fianna Fail said the remarks, which were made in a tabloid newspaper, were "astounding", forcing the Fine Gael leader to claim Mr Flannery's views were merely "personal opinions".
Mr Kenny said he had no intention of ever entering coalition with Sinn Fein.
But despite his firm stance, Fianna Fail last night seized on the opportunity to accuse Fine Gael of being prepared to do anything to get into power.
With only five days remaining to polling day, the comments renewed the tensions between the elected and non-elected factions of Fine Gael.
Those came to the fore at a parliamentary party meeting in April over Fine Gael's communications strategy. That meeting resulted in Dublin South-East TD Lucinda Creighton storming out.
Asked last night about Mr Kenny's failure to back him up in public, Mr Flannery said he was "thinking out loud" when he claimed Fine Gael was willing to work with any party which is determined to get Fianna Fail out of office, including Sinn Fein.
"There's been no discussion within Fine Gael on this," he said. "I fully agreed with Enda. I'm 100pc with him."
Distancing himself from Mr Flannery's earlier remarks, Mr Kenny said he had previously made it clear he would not be doing business with Sinn Fein.
"I have no intention of revisiting that," he said. "They have an army council, so I don't intend to revisit the issue."
Dublin Central by-election candidate Senator Paschal Donohoe, who may need transfers from Sinn Fein's Christy Burke if he is to cross the line, held the official party line and insisted Fine Gael would not do business with Sinn Fein.
Encouraging
However, he has been encouraging his supporters to vote for "non-government parties" if they are continuing their preferences down to the bottom of the ballot sheet.
Last night, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he found it "stomach-churning" that Fine Gael could even consider going into Government with a party which cannot bring itself to make an outright condemnation of the murder of a garda.
"Earlier this week, Sinn Fein refused to condemn the brutal murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe by the Provisional IRA. It is shocking, therefore, to hear Fine Gael say that they will happily go into government with Sinn Fein," he said.
"As minister for justice, I find it stomach-churning that Fine Gael, which always styled itself as the law and order party, could even consider going into Government with a party which cannot bring itself to make an outright condemnation of the murder of a garda."
Asked yesterday if the Greens would ever enter coalition with Sinn Fein, party leader John Gormley said it had differences with all parties but would not necessarily close the door on them.
He said his party had always been open to discussions with all parties but never entered pre-election pacts.
- Aine Kerr
