We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Updated 4.09pm
FINE GAEL’S JOHN McNulty has withdrawn from the Seanad by-election following a week-long controversy over his appointment to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA).
In a statement released this afternoon, McNulty said that he had informed the Taoiseach of his desire to withdraw his name from consideration by TDs and Senators in the by-election.
“I am taking this decision because I believe that to contest the election would be an ongoing distraction from the critical work of Government which is to secure Ireland’s recovery through job creation and increased investment,” McNulty said.
It follows the controversy over the Donegal shop manager’s appointment to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) six days before he was selected as Fine Gael’s nominee for the upper house.
McNulty’s name remains on the by-election ballot paper – as the only government candidate – but he has asked that TDs and Senators not vote for him.
Hugh O'Connell / TwitterMcNulty’s resignation is a disaster for government, means it can’t restore its majority in the Seanad.
— Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) September 30, 2014
Other candidates in the race are independent Gerard Craughwell and Sinn Féin’s Catherine Seeley.
The result of the by-election is expected on 10 October.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie this afternoon Craughwell, who many believe could now be the favourite to win the Seanad seat vacated by Deirdre Clune, said he had texted government TDs outlining his position.
“[If elected] I am not going in there to trip government up, they have nothing to fear from me. If there is something I don’t like I expect them to talk to me. If they are trying to run legislation through I’d expect to be consulted on it,” he said.
He added that McNulty’s decision was “an extremely honourable thing for the guy to do”.
Hugh O'Connell / TwitterEnda Kenny says he accepted responsibility for “taking my eye” off McNulty situation pic.twitter.com/1TCWftiUcD
— Hugh O'Connell (@oconnellhugh) September 30, 2014
In the Dáil, Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed McNulty’s withdrawal, saying that the controversy had been “the source of great pressure and from that point of view he [McNulty] has requested formally that Oireachtas members would not vote for him”.
Kenny said that as Taoiseach and president of the Fine Gael party the process of selecting McNulty “was beneath our standard”.
“It is not worth of winning a seat in these circumstances and John McNulty himself recognises because of the standards that were set,” Kenny told TDs.
Of McNulty, he said: “I looked at the names of the candidates myself for the qualifications and I interviewed McNulty. I felt he was an excellent candidate an outstanding candidate who was well qualified.”
Here is McNulty’s statement in full:
I have informed the Taoiseach that under the circumstances, I am withdrawing my name and asking the Members of the Oireachtas not to vote for me in the upcoming Seanad bye-election. I would like to thank the many members of the Oireachtas who already expressed their support for me.
I am taking this decision because I believe that to contest the election would be an ongoing distraction from the critical work of Government which is to secure Ireland’s recovery through job creation and increased investment. I believe the Government’s economic plan is working and the country is now moving in the right direction. This is what all members of Government should be focussed on at all times.
It was my hope, if elected, to support the Government’s work in this regard as a member of the Oireachtas and now it is my intention to seek a Party nomination to contest the next General Election.
Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin said McNulty’s withdrawal ”illustrates more than anything else the debacle which you and the minister [Arts Minister Heather Humphreys] plunged him into and the entire process”.
What did they promise him this time?
…peace and quiet.
The next Minister’s drivers job that arises, and he can supply the petrol at premium rates!
Another european seat with a hefty salary!
Dress it any way they like- this is a very damaging defeat for Kenny – the beginning of the end of him and his cronies.
The end is nigh and coming fir Edna
He’ll have to give an interview to come out of it
Quinlan the other FG lad has resigned from Irish Water not a great day for FG tbh.
Somebody watch the back door. !
Will there be a kiss-n-tell book?
There is a story behind this.
Maybe his aunt can write it for him. Going to be the norm now after lenihan’s biography.
Time to resign Enda. The game is up
Labour sack Kenny now and show some kind of power in the government and stop just making up the numbers
Don’t worry about Labour. They’re all the same. I don’t know whether to vote independent or to vote at all. I’ve given up on this government “democracy” thing. Waste of time.
Enda sent someone to talk to him.
Wonder where david burke/ richie rogers are Norman?
Being briefed on how to spin it.
He must of sent feighan over to rough him up…
He got the elbow so.
Taking one for Enda. There will be a handsome reward!!
Another head rolled to save endas bacon. God everybody will be afraid to go next nor near him soon. Anytime a name gets mentioned with his and trouble there is only one left standing!!!
“…it is my intention to seek a Party nomination to contest the next General Election”
The man does not possess foresight.
That was the plan in the first place with Danny McGinley retiring in 2016.
Sorry Dinny McGinley
Lacking originality…maybe he is under a ‘fine Geal’ puppet control?
Rough translation :
That stroke did not work Enda but there will be a couple of openings for a shop keeper on a board of Directors in Irish Water soon!
Water Boarding, Irish style.
Brilliant!
I do feel sorry a little sorry for McNulty. I am sure he regrets getting involved. That’s relatives for ya..eh
I bet Enda Kenny sent Brian Purcell to McNulty’s house in the dead of night and made him “an offer he couldn’t refuse”.
…oh yeah, not forgetting that Enda had already thrown a cabinet minister, Heather Humphreys, “under the bus” last week to cover up his grubby master-stroke.
That’s two seriously disgruntled FG people that Enda has pi$$ed off – not long before they have another heave.
Et tu Bruton didn’t work out too well – they won’t make that mistake again.
Phil has been put out to pasture in Europe.
Reilly was demoted – definitely not happy.
Humphreys – Furious.
Varadkar will be sharpening his knife in time for the Christmas budget, I would imagine.
FFS John, you’ve given up both?! Why? This makes the whole thing a total waste of time. It also buys Enda some time, the controversy goes away now. Oh look, Enda apologises, McNulty goes back to being what he was and there’s no harm done. Enda saves the day. FFS
Enda position is untenable, for the last 12 months he has presided over one big long fu<kup!
Bye, bye. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.
“Beneath our standard!” Good one, Kenny! Ye’re standards jumped out the window along with honesty &decency -and all at the same time!
Another lucky escape for Burton her cabal of yes men and liars
So how long will Fine Gael wait before they place him in some other state appointed position? Six months? Nine months?
Looks like the statement issued came straight from the Taoiseach’s Office. Sick and tired of non transparent appointments. Where is the openess and transparency we were promised by the present government
Does this mean yesterday his work for government was critical but today it isn’t? Sorry John but we’re not goldfish
Kevin Humphreys of the Labour party must be feeling a right plonker now having told THE WEEK IN POLITICS knowing that this was the worst form of cronyism that he was going to vote for him. Is it any wonder that party is now known as the political prostitute party.
sorry Tony I meant to green thumb u
This is just to save Kenny neck and it is not acceptable that just because he resigns that Kenny gets off
Ke
Good. Can Enda withdraw from government too?
Took him long enough
So what are the govt. Td sand senators going to vote for now? Will they abstain ? Have a free vote?
If McNulty thinks he’s going to get elected to anything after this fiasco he is nuts !!!
Enda is a despot
so a second resignation and howlin saw nothing wrong with both appointments.taxi for howlin as obviously the guy has no morals and wants to stay in govt for as long as possible…wonder what moan will have to say now after she supported mcnulty candidacy……………be ironic if this piece of fg cronyism is the beggining of the end of kennys leadership considering his attempt to abolish the seanad……on a seperate point we still have not been enlightened as to mcnultys qualifications that got him appointed to the arts board and secondly will we see a 3rd resignation by humpreys as she well and truly fked up and is very very quiet…cue kennys driver heading to humphreys house to deliver kennys knife in back just like callinan……
Memo to Enda Kenny: bye bye to you and your CROYNIE party call the election now.
Lets hope big Phil does the same in Europe….wait honourable thing….Big Phil…..nah! Doha Doha
All this has done is cause a load of embarrassment for the Govt at a time when they should be celebrating good economic figures. Enda Kenny’s leadership can now legitimately be called into question.
The “good economic figures” were an illusion, John.
The most recent figures weren’t awful, considering the way FG more than happily continued FF’s masterplan to sell our soul and sovereignty to Europe, but it’s a bit of a stretch to call the figures “good”.
Nobody looks good with brown lipstick on.FZ
Oh lads, job creation he says
Shatter gone….Garda commissioner gone….Hogan gone (well kinda) but my question when will Enda go…his new contrite persona is as fake as Mehowl Martin’s mock anger over FiannFail style cronyism been implemented by FG….
FF=FG as has always been as always will be….it is just us the people (gnath daoine an tir seo ) can see it clearly now…….
Back to the election – What about this guy Craughwell. Says he is an “Independent” but have Fianna Fail signed his nomination papers?
Sounds a bit like the Presidential candidate, Gallagher. who was also independent but was found to have handled brown envelopes, was in the “Tent” etc.
He’s independent! He lobbied every member of the Oireachtas to get on the ticket. Some independents backed him, and since no FF candidate was running, a few FF lads nominated him too. I’ve met the man, he’s very much independent.
One epic unrivalled failure of a government. Enda give it up.
Sorry to lob this into this thread..any one have any news on Hogan and Childers and Ming confrontation?
Teflon man returns
You could argue that he did the honourable thing, but then again there is no honour amongst thieves. Wonder will the other crony state board nominations such as Mr Lacey do likewise. Methinks not.
Scamsbridge for all new gov. posts is th only fair future in the banana republic.
Lets be clear on this issue… he can still get elected because some of his croney buddies may have already voted… but i suppose he will resign immediately…
Right Journal what do you want me to say let me know seeing you wont print what i write can i call you idiots
Is anyone surprised at all by the carry on of politicians? And why is this upsetting people? Don’t you know by now this is exactly how politicians behave at every turn? And don’t you realise that this wouldn’t be an issue today only for the fact that Irish people voted to maintain the Seanad? Who’s to blame? You had your choice. This is what you get with democracy.
Is anyone surprised at all by the carry on of politicians? And why is this upsetting people? Don’t you know by now this is exactly how politicians behave at every turn? And don’t you realise that this wouldn’t be an issue today only for the fact that Irish people voted to maintain the Seanad? Who’s to blame? You had your choice.
Fine Gael and Labour deputies should vote for John McNulty in the Seanad by-election, anyway. If his name wins the ballot, Mr McNulty will then resign his seat on principle and Fine Gael can then select a more suitable Fine Gael candidate to run in a second by-election. The alternative to this is for the Left-wing trade unionist Craughwell, or the Sinn Fein candidate, to win that seat, meaning the Government permanently loses its majority in the Senate.
So let’s blatantly usurp the democratic process again. You work in FG HQ?
The options for this Senate seat are now truly undesirable. With the poorly handled McNulty candidacy now in ruins, unless TD’s and Senators vote for McNulty anyway (as his name will still be on the ballot paper), it leaves the seat to be taken by either the Left-wing former head of one of the most militant teachers’ unions (the TUI), Gerard Craughwell, or a Left-wing Sinn Fein candidate. Neither of these non-McNulty candidates will improve the governance of our country or the quality of debate in our parliament.
If Fine Gael had a half-decent leader, it wouldn’t have come to this.
have your say