Fianna Fáil turn on their own over TDs ‘cheap shot’ on Westport House

Neill O’Neill

FIANNA FÁIL TD Barry Cowen has been blasted by politicians from his own party in Mayo, for ‘sticking his nose in’ and ‘making a political cheap shot’ out of the Westport House issue and efforts that were made to intervene on the matter.
Mr Cowen, a brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, made his remarks at the weekend in The Sunday Times. The TD for Laois-Offaly accused Minister of State Michael Ring of “putting his own political gain ahead of the national interest” and went on to criticise moves by the state which saw debts related to the Westport House estate removed from Project Arrow, just hours before NAMA confirmed the sale of the portfolio. He also had a thinly veiled swipe at An Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
“No doubt Enda Kenny and Michael Ring see this as a victory for their constituency, but what about the wider national interest?” he is quoted as saying in The Sunday Times.
“We are in the midst of a national housing emergency and money that could have been used to provide social housing is being spent to acquire a tourist attraction in the Taoiseach’s back garden.”
However, if Deputy Cowen thought he was going to get support from within his own party in Mayo, it seems he greatly underestimated the genuine public concern over Westport House, which has brought cross party unity between Fianna FΡil and Fine Gael in the county.
Deputy Dara Calleary, a highly regarded figure in Fianna FΡil nationally, said that while his colleague had raised an important issue in addressing homelessness, Westport House is too important to Mayo and the country to have any inaction on the matter.
“I spoke about Westport House in the DΡil and welcome it being taken from Project Arrow.  I intend to work with Cllr Brendan Mulroy and Mayo County Council on this and it is important now that Westport House is well resourced and left in a sustainable position where it can reach its maximum potential.”
Deputy Calleary, who had publicly called on the Government to intervene on Westport House, would not directly criticise Deputy Cowen, but said that Fianna FΡil’s position on the ground in Mayo has not changed.
“We support the acquisition, but would like to see the same level of urgency in relation to the issues around homelessness in Mayo and Ireland.”

‘Political games’
Westport Fianna FΡil County Councillor, Brendan Mulroy, who had taken to social media last Friday to thank Minister Ring for his efforts behind the scenes on trying to save Westport House, criticised Deputy Cowen for ‘not having the sense to contact party members on the ground in Mayo’ to find out the real sentiment on the issue, before he went ‘playing political games’. Councillor Mulroy had also made a public call on the Government to intervene and save Westport House.
“I am fully supportive of the work Minister Ring did on the Westport House issue. Fianna FΡil is a big organisation and it seems that party members in Mayo do not matter to some people, but I wish they had consulted with the grassroots in the county or at least inquired as to the issue on the ground and our stance on it, before they went making any statements. Some members of Fianna FΡil are viewing this as an opportunity to have a rattle at Minister Ring, and that is unfortunate but it is likely all they care about. I am disappointed by Fianna FΡil outside of Mayo on this, but party members locally cannot control what they do. If I get criticised for criticising Fianna FΡil then so be it, I support 100 percent what Minister Ring did and he has no problem in Westport.”

‘Unity’
Lisa Chambers, a Fianna FΡil candidate in the upcoming general election, also said her position has not changed. Like Cllr Mulroy, Cllr Chambers spoke at last week’s public meeting in Westport and fully supported efforts to save Westport House from a NAMA sale.
“This was the correct thing to do, it was keeping within the legislation and was an important intervention when you consider the cultural and historical significance of Westport House. I saw the goodwill towards this issue and the concern of locals and in terms of Fianna FΡil it is us on the ground in Mayo who know about this matter.
“While there will always be disagreements between the individuals within political parties - except for in Sinn Féin - there is complete cohesion and unity across the ranks locally on this issue and we are 100 percent behind the work that is ongoing to save Westport House.
“Deputy Cowen has no bearing on what is happening in Mayo and his comments are certainly not reflective of what the party and people on the ground here in Mayo think and feel. We are far better placed to understand and comment on something that is happening in Mayo than a TD living and working miles away.”

‘Cheap shot’
Independent councillor for Westport, Christy Hyland, who chaired last week’s public meeting, was not holding back his words. From the outset, Cllr Hyland had pleaded across all parties to see beyond politics when it came to the issue of Westport House.
“How dare Barry Cowen come down here and stick his nose in an important local issue and criticise people who have been working hard as they were called on to do. This was never a political issue, why is Barry Cowen politicising it, it is a political cheap shot, the lowest of the low, nothing else. Let Barry Cowen look after his own issues and people in Laois-Offaly, and not be concerning himself with what is happening in Mayo.”
Minister Ring said that it sounded like Fianna FΡil in Mayo and outside the county were trying to have it both ways, which was disappointing. He added that he had done nothing wrong when it came to Westport House. He added that he had seldom if ever seen such a united front from the community, and such passion on an issue. He further stated that the level of correspondence and calls he had received on Westport House, including from Fianna FΡil members and politicians, meant he was compelled to act in facilitating talks between NAMA and Mayo County Council.