Fine Gael accused of ‘stroke pulling’ in VEC appointment

Fine Gael accused of ‘stroke pulling’


Anton McNulty

Fine Gael have been accused of ‘pulling a stroke’, ‘cronyism’ and being ‘Fianna FΡil light’ by the way they newly elected county councillor John O’Hara was appointed onto the committee of Mayo VEC.
A special meeting of Mayo County Council took place yesterday (Monday) morning to approve the co-option of John O’Hara onto Mayo County Council to replace Michelle Mulherin. However, the Bonnicolon native did not have time to get comfortable in his new chair in the chamber when he was at the centre of a political storm.
The new Fine Gael councillor was proposed by his party to replace Deputy Mulherin on the committee of Mayo VEC but a counter proposal was made by Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray who proposed his colleague Cllr Rose Conway-Walsh, because the position had to be filled by a female.
Earlier in the week, the councillors had been informed by county secretary, John Condon that the new appointment to the committee had to be a female in the interest of gender balance. This meant that the appointment could not come from the Fine Gael ranks because the party no longer has a female councillor on Mayo County Councillor.
However, before the proposals were made Cllr Jarlath Munnelly of Fine Gael informed the meeting that Kevin Guthrie had resigned as the Castlebar Town Council representative on the VEC. Mr Condon informed the chamber that because there were now two vacancies on Mayo VEC, Mayo County Council did not have to appoint a female.
This revelation was met with consternation from the opposition parties who accused Fine Gael of pulling a stroke and asked them either withdraw their nomination or adjourn the appointment to Mayo VEC until a later date. A proposal to adjourn the appointment was defeated and Cllr O’Hara was elected onto the committee.
Independent councillor Gerry Ginty said the actions of the Fine Gael councillors of turning into ‘Fianna FΡil light’ and appealed to them to follow the actions of their leader and forego the appointment.
“I ask them to follow the spirit and leadership that Enda Kenny has shown. They are in a position of strength and I ask them to forget about taking positions and for the good of the county forego this one. This is an opportunity to Fine Gael to show they are not the next Fianna FΡil light and show a different spirit in victory,” he said.
Cllr Rose Conway-Walsh said it was obvious that this was a ‘job for the boys’ move and accused Fine Gael of ‘stroke pulling’ and not being serious about ending ‘cronyism’. Independent Cllr Richard Finn who is a member of Mayo VEC said the resignation of Kevin Guthrie had not been discussed at VEC level and did not believe they should fill the position until it is.
Cllr Gerry Murray said the amount of ‘tangling involved’ was reducing the VEC to the level of the Ballinasloe Horse Fair. Cllr Michael Holmes accused Fine Gael of using everything to fill all the positions for themselves, and compared what was taking place to a ‘three card trick’.
“In the interest of gender balance and the good of the county I suggest that we go down the road of proposing and seconding Cllr Conway-Walsh, and get her to fill the position,” he said.
This accusation was refuted by the Cathairleach, Cllr Michael Burke while Cllr Patsy O’Brien accused the opposition of being hypocrites by welcoming Cllr O’Hara and then trying to deprive him a position on the VEC.
Fianna FΡil Councillor Al McDonnell said the actions of Fine Gael gave a impression of ‘stroke pulling’ and sent out the wrong messages, while Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said they were making a ‘farce’ of the situation.
The position of who would be appointed onto the VEC committee was put to a vote with Cllr O’Hara defeating Cllr Conway-Walsh by 18 votes to ten.