Killeen Must Resign
25/01/07 23:21 Filed in: Politics
The saga
surrounding Minister Tony Killeen is disturbing.
He says that the letters making representations on behalf of a convicted paedophile and a convicted murderer, sent from his constituency office, were sent without his consent. He claims he did not sign the letter.
I can believe that. Below is a letter I got the other day, forwarded from my old address in Dublin, from my erstwhile TD, one Mr Bertie Ahern TD. You can be damn sure that this letter didn't pass under the Taoiseachly nose for his approval and signature, even though it is signed in a matey, first-name manner.
Sending ersatz-signed letters to constituents about mundane matters like tenants' rights is one thing, but having them sent from your office, by your staff, making representations to the Department of Justice on behalf of persons convicted of serious crimes is another thing, whether you know about them or not.
On the RTE News tonight, it was suggested that Killeen's job as Minister for State for Labour Affairs is not under threat, because all TDs do this sort of thing. This is disgraceful, and it shows just how far the culture of the parish-pump is ingrained in our political life.
Tony Killeen should resign his ministerial office over this. If he doesn't he should be sacked. Ivor Callely was forced to resign for not disclosing that a builder he dealt with while he was chairman of the Eastern Health Board had painted his house gratis.
Unlikely, though.
He says that the letters making representations on behalf of a convicted paedophile and a convicted murderer, sent from his constituency office, were sent without his consent. He claims he did not sign the letter.
I can believe that. Below is a letter I got the other day, forwarded from my old address in Dublin, from my erstwhile TD, one Mr Bertie Ahern TD. You can be damn sure that this letter didn't pass under the Taoiseachly nose for his approval and signature, even though it is signed in a matey, first-name manner.
Sending ersatz-signed letters to constituents about mundane matters like tenants' rights is one thing, but having them sent from your office, by your staff, making representations to the Department of Justice on behalf of persons convicted of serious crimes is another thing, whether you know about them or not.
On the RTE News tonight, it was suggested that Killeen's job as Minister for State for Labour Affairs is not under threat, because all TDs do this sort of thing. This is disgraceful, and it shows just how far the culture of the parish-pump is ingrained in our political life.
Tony Killeen should resign his ministerial office over this. If he doesn't he should be sacked. Ivor Callely was forced to resign for not disclosing that a builder he dealt with while he was chairman of the Eastern Health Board had painted his house gratis.
Unlikely, though.