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Micheál Martin and Ned O'Keeffe in 2009 Fianna Fail

Defence Forces and Martin play down Ned O'Keeffe's 'army coup' comments

The outgoing Cork TD had said an army coup in Ireland was “real possibility”. His son has said he is “shocked” by the comments.

Updated 3.35pm

THE IRISH DEFENCE FORCES and Micheál Martin have played down suggestions by outgoing TD Ned O’Keeffe that there is a possibility of a military coup in Ireland.

O’Keeffe, a Fianna Fail TD for Cork East, caused a storm yesterday when he told the Cork Evening Echo that he thought an army coup was a “real possibility” because of the country’s economic problems.

The retiring TD, whose son Kevin is running to fill his seat, later told TheJournal.ie that he stood by the comments.

The former junior minister maintained that position today according to the Cork Evening Echo which also carries a statement from the Irish Defence Forces in which a spokesperson said:

The Defence Forces serve the State every day of every year and we don’t involve ourselves in political matters.

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin also denied that the army could takeover whilst on the campaign trail in Longford. He said:

Absolutely not. I don’t know what’s happening in Kilworth [a village in Cork] but I don’t see any challenges in any shape or form.

We have a great democracy in this country and this campaign bears that out.

The Fianna Fail candidate for Cork East, Kevin O’Keeffe, would not return calls from TheJournal.ie for comment on his father’s views.

However he told the Cork Independent that he was shocked by the comments but that his father was his own man:

I’m canvassing now and have no idea what he said.

I’ll leave him to his own. I’m shocked. He can shoot away.

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6 Comments
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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Jun 18th 2012, 7:57 AM

    So what they’re saying is that the government bailed them out and they’re doing nothing with that money except for hoarding it and loaning to their buddies? What a total shocker. I never saw that coming.

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    Mute Thomas Cooke
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    Jun 18th 2012, 8:15 AM

    Fair play to ISME for keeping this issue highlighted, many businesses are trying to keep going and even develop on cash flow knowing it is a time consuming and costly waste of time even applying for credit, business is being strangled and bled to death by government inaction on credit and high costs.

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    Mute kingstown
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    Jun 18th 2012, 9:15 AM

    SMEs are possibly the worst exploiters of workers in Ireland. They flaunt labour laws, hide behind the likes of ISME and the SFA.

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    Mute Alvin Gibney
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    Jun 18th 2012, 7:54 AM

    When it comes back buy a safe .

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    Mute HARRY MARKOPOLOS
    Favourite HARRY MARKOPOLOS
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    Jun 18th 2012, 11:36 AM

    What?
    No mention of the 90% of applicants told by bank staff not to bother applying for a loan?

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    Mute Martin Critten
    Favourite Martin Critten
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    Jun 18th 2012, 10:05 AM

    Considering the banks were in such deep denial in 2008 it’s no wonder since the same cronies are still running the shop that they are hording cash. And whilst they continue to keep their bonuses, from the money we bailed them out with – the rest of the SME’s can sink – with us along with them. The business page of the Sunday Indo had the finest example of how the ‘enterprise challenged’ heads of BOI behave, letting a Jemie Jenkins business fold through lack of a credit line backed by letters of credit from his export customers – he had export orders worth thousands in the states for crying out loud! Just shows even when they promote enterprise week in may and dragons den they are apathetic to any economic need – other than the economy of their own pockets! – Pillar bank my ole!

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    Jun 18th 2012, 5:37 PM

    Ye! forgot about that one – dead right Harry, I was one of them !

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    Mute PaydayLoans@
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    Jun 20th 2012, 11:03 AM

    The banks are protecting themselves at the direct cost, not only to small and medium enterprises but to the whole economy. While this government waffles and dithers about bank interventions, SMEs are being terrorised and ultimately shut down by discredited bailed-out bankers, arrogant at top level and ignorant at branch level. With 96% of business owners of the opinion that Government have either a negative or no impact on SME lending, this Administration must act now and install active management into the banks, representing the owners, the taxpayers, to ensure honest reporting, sustainable reform and a return to proper banking.
    http://paydayloansat.com/

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    Mute Kevin Tyrrell
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    Jun 18th 2012, 9:57 PM

    Get your friends together and sign a petition. Bring that petition to your local TD’s, tell them that they need to confront the banks…all of the banks in your area, that you expect that your TD will write to the local banking institutions informing them that all of the signatories will take their money out of the bank, close their accounts and refuse to do business with them until they begin to loan to the SME sector again. You get 10 or 15 TD’s involved with that (and many TD’s would be delighted of the photo opportunity and to be seen on the side of the little guy) get some air time and a little public anger going and the threat that deposits might suddenly en masse start walking out the door…watch the little piggies squeal then!!

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