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HEALTH MINISTER SIMON Harris has said Micheál Martin’s behaviour towards the former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald was “disgraceful conduct” and that he wants him to apologise.
The former Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald was effectively exonerated in yesterday’s Disclosure Tribunal report with regard to her dealings with the case of Maurice McCabe.
Questions arose late last year about what she knew about the legal strategy being pursued against McCabe by the former Garda Commissioner Noírín O’Sullivan during the O’Higgins Commission.
Political pressure mounted on Fitzgerald by both Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, which ultimately led to her resignation as minister last December.
When the report was released yesterday, Harris, who previously worked for Fitzgerald before his time in politics, was the first to come out and welcome the report.
Speaking to reporters today, he said he thought it was “disappointing” that the opposition had yet to apologise to her.
“I think it is really disappointing that the opposition have yet to apologise for the charges they made against her which have now been found to be false. They hounded a good woman out of office for political expediency and their statements in the last 24 hours, as far as there have been any, have been mean-spirited,” he said, adding:
“I have no doubt that if the roles were reversed Frances Fitzgerald would be the first to say sorry.”
He rounded on Fianna Fáil stating that Fitzgerald “was not afforded due process, Charleton was very clear on that, it mightn’t be a popular thing to say, but even ministers are entitled to due process, she wasn’t afforded that and Micheál Martin decided she wasn’t entitled to that”, adding:
He, [Micheál Martin] for political expediency, in an effort to march Sinn Féin, demanded her head on a plate. It was disgraceful conduct – he should apologise, correct the record of the Dáil, as should Mary Lou McDonald.
Whether she gets reappointed to Cabinet, the health minister said, is the Taoiseach’s call.
“I hope she continues to play a role in politics… I have no doubt she will continue to play a key role in Irish politics,” said Harris.
Speaking on Newstalk today, Fianna Fáil’s Justice spokesperson Jim O’Callaghan said Fianna Fáil does not regret its actions last November and its lack of confidence in Fitzgerald. He stated it was based on wrongful statements, surrounding Fitzgerald’s knowledge of O’Higgins events, being made to the Dáil three times last November.
Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly told the Sean O’Rourke Programme today that the party accepted the findings of the report, but added that her party stand over their decision to demand her resignation.
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She lied to the Dail,more than once. She deserves what she got.
@Michael Hennessy: Does lying outside the Dail any bit worse ?
@Michael Hennessy: she should have been impeached and removed from office.
@Johnny Mason: she was shown to be grossly incompetent. The Minister for Justice didn’t read a number of emails about the most talked about subject in her department.
@Ned Flanders: That is true as I meant a lie from a public Representative in the Dail or outside is still a lie and makes a Public Rep unfit for purpose in my book !
She deserves NO apology. Fitzgerald was not exonerated of misleading the Dail
@The Risen: How did she mislead the Dail?
@Roland D Hay: Good question.
Here’s what Judge Charleton has to say about her resignation:
“28 November 2017: The Tánaiste and former Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald, facing a storm of allegations of failing to step in when Sergeant McCabe was accused of false sexual assault allegations before the O’Higgins Commission, resigns from her position as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
There were no such accusations, even on the basis of the small snippets of transcript illegally passed to the media.”
@Roland D Hay: She claimed on Dail record that she only found out in 2016 about the strategy to attack Maurice McCabes reputation at the O’Higgins commission. She was then forced to admit afterwards that she had received and read emails in 2015 about the matter.
Varadkar had to correct the dail record more than once in relation to Fitzgerald.
@The Risen: That doesn’t support your argument that she lied to the Dail.
@Roland D Hay: He didn’t say lied, he said misled.
@The Risen: So Charleton is wrong then….
@Denonu: i see you’re going to make an eejit out of yourself on TWO articles over the same crap.
impressive
@The Risen: Charleton is clear that there was no “strategy to attack Maurice McCabes reputation at the O’Higgins commission” (or “aggressive approach” as he calls it). Frances Fitzgerald not recalling an email which was poorly worded, presented an incorrect picture of what was happening at the commission and on foot of which she correctly, according to Charleton, took no action was not a resigning matter and certainly doesn’t clear the burden of proof that she “lied” to the Dáil.
@Roland D Hay: her lips moved
@Denonu: “Misled” is a weasel word in this context. According to Charleton, there was nothing substantial in the emails in question so Frances Fitzgerald not recalling them is not “misleading” the Dáil in any material way.
If she “lied” to the Dáil, then that would have been a resigning matter but not recalling email with garbled language and no action to be taken was nowhere close to a resigning matter. Pretty clear that Judge Charleton also believes same.
@Larkin About: I see that you’re going to ignore Judge Charleton’s inconvenient findings on this article also.
@Denonu: I think everyone’s just ignoring you now. I can see why. You’re relentless and she is not worth defending.
all the little FG fanboys trying to muddy the waters, as ususl
if she didnt mislead the dail why did leo have to correct the
…dail record several times FFS?
@Joe Phillips: It seems that many people are happy to see an injustice righted when it comes to Sgt. McCabe, but not so happy to see an injustice righted when it comes to Frances Fitzgerald.
@Denonu: She was not able for the job and was rightly moved on. You will just have accept that and deal with it.
@David Corrigan: Frances Fitzgerald was as well able for her job as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation as her successor Heather Humphreys and she should have been allowed to continue in that role.
@Denonu: I am afraid you are wrong there. She was completely out of her depth and should never be put into positions of power again.
@David Corrigan: Why was she out of her depth?
@Denonu: She is not owed a living in public service. If she’s not serving the public properly, and this goes for every gravy-train-ridin’ cabbage in there, she/he should be shown the door. She should be thankful she has a pension
@now-now-now: How is a social worker suitable for the role as minister for justice?
@David Corrigan: Get your facts straight: Frances Fitzgerald wasn’t minister for Justice when she resigned.
The minister for Justice at the time was Charlie Flanagan, whose only qualification for the job is a BA afaik.
@The Risen: usual SF shit
@Denonu: I never said that. My point was, how is a social worker suitably qualified to be a minister for justice. My question is valid for all of those in Irish politics. None of them ever held down a real job for heavens sake.
The thing about FG is they are never wrong. Reality was the country lost faith in Francis Fitzgerald
@Rory: Is that all they can pick out of this mess. that fitzgerald wasn’t caught?
@Rory: In this case, an independent report stated that they weren’t.
Do you believe the report was incorrect?
Harris should’ve been on the plate next to Fitzgerald, along with Leo, Mick Martin, Joan Burton and Enda.
@Corkonian In Dublin: Very “Game of Thrones”….I like it…
Eh….Mr Minister for Health,while you’re on tbe subject of apologies,any chance of one from yourself for the horrible treatment being meted out to our citizens who are unlucky enough to be trying to use our health service?
The then Tánaiste went over three emails about the legal strategy against McCabe and the joined to the hip relationship between minister and Garda. No apology for that.
24 hours on from Judge Charleton`s shocking findings in regard to the treatment of an innocent man Maurice McCabe at the hands of the state, still not a word of regret or sympathy or apology from the Taoiseach or any govt minister, instead `St Frances` Fitzgerald has suddenly become the victim, she had to resign minster she`s political toast, stop flogging a dead horse, no comebacks
@Patrick James Walsh: Exactly! It’s farcical. Not a peep out of the Government about Maurice or Callinan
Fitzgerald was giving every opportunity to the Dail to explain her position and she failed on a number of times. She might be cleared in terms of the findings of the report but she clearly didnt know her facts when asked in the Dail
Must be looking to appoint her minister of communications
If Harris would get on with the job he is tasked with then we would not have to listen to a daily list of people on trolleys in A&E, waiting lists for treatment stretching to years in some cases, shortage of front line staff etc. He is a prime example of an incompetent inexperienced person who is totally out of his depth and knows it but grasps at passing distractions to save him.
So much for new politics. If only politicians on all sides could say sorry for mistakes they make we might respect them more. As a teacher once said “ he who makes no mistakes knows nothing “.
@finbarr walsh:you also need to learn from mistakes made, certain politicians don’t learn and continue to make the mistakes over and over.
@nick_d: all politicians make mistakes and misrepresent the truth, this is how all politicians get re-elected. All not certain politicians and when we the public accept this we may then get new politics
@nick_d: They have learned , and learned extremely well. They are not incompetent , to say that is to give them a pass. They are very competent, they just don’t care about the average or poor citizen. The 1% club know exactly how competent our politicians are
Was a terrible minister could not seen to make a decision……All Alan Shatters ideas and promise to Troika to reform fees in legal profession under her were forgotten….
She lied.deserved everything she got. Naughten resigned , Fitzgerald back in good books, circus continues.
Either way, has he nothing better to do or is everything hunky dory in his department today ?
Lots of people would love Harris’s head on a plate but he’s not listening
Her job was to sort this out. End of story.
I am a firm believer in one can delegate their authority but one cannot delegate their responsibility.
Fall out between Meole and Lieo coming ;-)
FG are, for some reason, desperate to get her back into cabinet again.
Given her record people don’t want her back. Then when did FG give a flying one what people want.
Ireland deserves an apology from Fine Gael. They along with Fianna Fail, have decimated this country. They can not blame anyone else. They are responsible for thousands of innocent people dying inappropriately, in our health service. Dead is dead, wheather it’s by a bullet or incompetent governments. Housing, education, health, infrastructure, etc., all decimated by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. That’s what you naive people, who fall for the spin are voting for. Death by stealth.
Lied 3 times to the dail,you dont apologise to liars.
Perhaps he should spend more time running his own dept. It’s a shambles.
Leo had to be insulated at the time as was the case with denis naughten yesterday
Would you present apologies for health and housing policies ?
It was stated that she “probably” read the mails…
Harris was her lapdog that’s how he got his job
Simon watch out, you might be next.
We would like to demand Harris head on a plate.
This from the clown who should have been turfed out on his ear the minute the Cervical Check scandal broke.
“Charges made against her – which have NOT been found to be false”
Did Harris really say that or is it a Journal typo ?
@wattsed: Journal amended it. Pity, thought perhaps there was a new result v2.
How about FG/FF apologise for the state of the country first
Harris has a hard neck I’ll give him that..!!
Typical of simple Simon jumps on the bandwagon every chance he gets – he is the one that should be apologizing for the appalling health service waiting lists and trollies- pot calling the kettle black comes to mind – he’s all talk no action
Irish politics has reached such a farcical state under FG and FF govs that we all might as well put our names forward in the next election because whichever one of us is lucky to be elected, we know It’s for jobs that have absolutely no accountability, regardless of how unfit we are for the job.
She knew very well what was going on behind the scenes..and in knowing she kept quiet ..if she realy wanted to see justice she could have leaked a few tips for journalists to follow up on ,A good honest copper being put through the mill and his character being assassinated over child abuse and she did nothing .i think Karma sorted it out .
@mjmphotos.ie: Did you read the report. You are obviously incorrect.
Your head is next Simon.
Like all the women you and your ilk are responsible for giving death sentences to – Fitzgerald failed to act and her FG buddies let a man go to the gallows and never gave him their full backing
Some cheek ! Its More like Harris should be apologizing for the state of the health service under his failed ministry !
Another one of “Style over Substance” Leo Varadkar’s Failed Ministers Luke Murphy !
Paper never refused ink, they can write history what ever way they see fit. The dogs on the street can see what went on
Harris is possible the worst minister ever, even worse that Harney.
Leo , Murphy and Harris and the biggest Bull*hitters ever to run this country..
Harris should be the one apologizing to the thousands who have been on trolleys
If I was Harris I’d be more concerned with watching my own back. Winter is coming and life expectancy in Angola is not good
Frances Fitzgerald is a liar, a crook and an incompetent.
Exciting times. There could be more to see and hear on this yet.
What planet are these idiot politicians living on?
@Adrian: i often wonder what planet the idiots that elect these gombeens are living on.
@Adrian: planet $€¥
@Adrian: they live in planet where failure is totally acceptable & in fact should be rewarded. He is overseeing probably the worst crisis the health service has ever seen as is his mate Murphy doing another shambolic job but they all have confidence in each other.
How about Harris apologising to irish young and old for the mess that is the health service
Harris and fitzgerald need to earn people’s respect. They shouldn’t be thinking they’re just entitled to it.
it’s a pity you weren’t as quick to make a apology for all the people who suffered over the department your in charge of
Harris should be gone as well the most useless donkey in the Dail
Harris is pathetic look at the state of him and the health system. You’d think someone with chromes disease would want to fix the HSE
Just wondering about her arrangement with Terry Prone that was not paid out of the Dept. of Justice vote but out of some other Parliamentary fund–this seems very unusual.
Would like to have the views of the Comptroller and Auditor General on this issue
Wonder was the Secretary General of the Dept. of Justice aware of this arrangement.
Wonder if any other Ministers are using this fund and for what purposes is it used.
We need answers.
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