Taoiseach defends his party’s engagement with Michael Lowry on government talks

By Cate McCurry, PA

The Taoiseach has defended his party’s engagement with Michael Lowry on government formation talks, saying he received a large mandate from the electorate.

Simon Harris said he has a duty to speak to independents and parties who want to form a “stable government”.

Mr Lowry is the point of for the Regional Independent Group, who is viewed as most likely to be the third partner in a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

In June 2018, Mr Lowry was found guilty of charges of failing to keep proper books of and delivering an incorrect corporation tax return in relation to his refrigeration company, Garuda.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Mr Lowry was interviewed by gardaí from the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) who are investigating matters related to the Moriarty Tribunal.

The tribunal was set up in 1997 to examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry.

In the Moriarty Tribune, it criticised Mr Lowry’s behaviour at the time, describing it as “profoundly corrupt”.

Mr Harris was asked about the findings on Monday and why his party is continuing to engage with Mr Lowry.

“You have to the public voted for Deputy Lowry in very large numbers in Tipperary,” Mr Harris said.

“When you’re elected to Dáil Éireann, I suppose you have a duty to try and form a government, and my party is trying to form a government, and we’re working with Fianna Fáil to try and form a stable government.

“We’re engaged and talk to a number of groups in the Dáil.

“There’s a lot of people outlining why they don’t wish to be in government. I think it’s important that we concentrate on those that do, because what we do need to do here is deliver a stable government.

“Deputy Lowry has ed many governments over many years at this stage. From my point of view, the most important thing is the policy programme that government delivers and my priority now is in getting as much of the Fine Gael manifesto implemented as possible.”

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said said that Mr Lowry has a “very controversial background”, and was someone who had “very serious findings made against him”.

“That’s a matter for them to answer,” she added.

“Am I hugely surprised that they reach for the independents to bolster their efforts and to back them up? Not hugely.

“But I don’t believe that that is a good outcome for any of us. What we are doing proactively is meeting with others who share our perspective and who know that housing policy needs to change, that we need a whole sea change, change of direction in public policy, so that work for us is ongoing.

“Tomorrow, we’ll meet with the Congress of Trade Unions. We meet again with the Social Democrats, we meet with the Labour Party. We have met with others.

“We’ll continue at that piece of work, and really, the questions around Michael Lowry need to be put to Micheál Martin and they need to be put to Simon Harris.

“They would be better placed to answer queries, concerns and questions than I.”

Government formation talks will continue this week and possibly into early next week before pausing for the Christmas break.

Fine Gael met with Labour TDs on Monday, while Fianna Fáil will continue to meet with independents and the Social Democrats this week.

On Wednesday, the 34th Dail will sit for the first time and will vote by secret ballot to elect a new Ceann Comhairle.

While Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl has held the position the last two , he is expected to face a contest with Independent TD Verona Murphy and Sinn Féin’s Aengus Ó Sndaigh.

It is understood that Fine Gael is likely to back Ms Murphy for the role.

Mr Harris said that no one will be forced to vote in a particular way.

“Deputy Murphy is not a member of the Fine Gael party for very good reason, but Deputy Murphy then went off and got elected to Dáil Éireann with the mandate from the people of Wexford and I have to respect that reality as well,” Mr Harris said.

“We’ve made, as I was saying earlier, no decision in relation to the Ceann Comhairle position. I will not be whipping Fine Gael TDs, it is a private ballot.

“It is likely – though I don’t want to presume my parliamentary party’s view – but it is likely, when we meet tomorrow at 5.30pm and we will agree an approach, or what we think is a sensible approach, in of that.”

He added: “I am conscious it is an individual vote that every TD has. So nobody in my party will be whipped in relation to this issue.

“But at the same time, I think as a party, we’re likely to try and take a consensus type approach in of how we decide to go about it, but it is a private ballot.

Government formation talks are likely to resume on January 6th.