Local Labour Party activist Sean Butler has said that he believes that Dara Calleary is the front runner to replace Robert Troy as Junior Minister.
The Fianna Fail TD resigned after controversy over his property dealings, and non-compliance with ethics in public office legislation.
Local Fianna Fail TD Jennifer Murnane O’Connor has been mentioned as a possible replacement, but Sean Butler has ruled this to be unlikely.
Speaking on KCLR, Sean said “the rehabilitation of Dara Calleary since his resignation over the Golfgate controversy means he’d be the most diplomatic choice; “Dara was in a difficult situation. He didn’t try to brazen it out, he took his medicine, and I think most people in the public looked at it and said – okay, he made a mistake. Legally did he make a mistake? We now know he didn’t. But politically he did, he did the decent thing, he resigned, and I think people will welcome him back. “
Sean continued, “If he [Micháel Martin] doesn’t go for Dara Calleary, he’s really just going to create more issues in his party because if you give it to one TD, you upset every other TD who didn’t get it.”
But former local Fine Gael Senator Pat O’Neill says Calleary may be passed over for this job because he’s being lined up for a senior ministerial portfolio in the Cabinet reshuffle, expected when Leo Vardakar takes over as Taoiseach.
Pat said “I think Dara is going to come in as a Senior Minister in December, so I don’t think there’s any point in appointing him as a Junior Minister; if he’s appointed [as a Junior Minister], I don’t think he can suddenly, in three months’ time, say that he’s going to be a Senior Minister. I don’t think that’s fair on any department.”
You can catch the full interview with Matt O’Keeffe here.
