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THE SEVEN FINE Gael rebels who were expelled from the parliamentary party over their vote against the abortion bill will not be allowed to stand for the party at the next election, the Government Chief Whip has insisted.
Paul Kehoe has said that there will be no going back on the decision to expel the five TDs and two Senators from the parliamentary party in July and said they will not be standing for Fine Gael at the next general election.
TDs Lucinda Creighton, Peter Mathews, Billy Timmins, Brian Walsh and Terence Flanagan as well as Senators Paul Bradford and Fidelma Healy-Eames all lost the Fine Gael whip when they opposed the government on the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill.
Kehoe told TheJournal.ie this week: “I think the Taoiseach has made it quite clear from the time the people voted against the government that there were consequences.
“The consequences were they were expelled from the parliamentary party and they wouldn’t be standing for Fine Gael in the next general election, and that’s a decision the party has made. There’ll be no going back on that decision.”
Kehoe said he feels sorry for the seven “outside of the pale” but said that these are the consequences of their decision to break a pledge they signed when they ran for Fine Gael in the general election.
“[It] states clearly in the party pledge that you vote accordingly with what way the party decides,” he said. “The party decided to bring this legislation forward [and] to support the legislation.”
“Look I feel sorry for the people outside of the pale, of course it’s a decision they don’t take lightly because there is huge consequences: not being able to go to parliamentary party meetings, not being involved in the day-to-day decision making of the party… they find themselves outside, being removed from committees, removed from their offices. That is not nice.”
Kehoe does not have any qualms about having removed the expelled TDs from their offices and placed them in new surroundings away from the main Fine Gael block in Leinster House saying “that’s the way it is and has been for years”.
“It’s something that I don’t like doing, it’s unfortunate [but] that’s part of government and that’s a part of politics,” he said.“Politics is no kind of Cinderella game, it’s tough, it’s not a bed of roses and anyonewho goes into politics, they know that.
Kehoe also dealt with claims from one Fine Gael rebel, Peter Mathews, that phones were disconnected in his office before he could move to new offices which he is unhappy with, claiming that grates on the windows are a fire hazard.
“Peter is in the very same office that he was in when he came into the Dáil first and he found no problem with his office [then],” Kehoe claimed.
He rejected suggestions that phones were disconnected saying that Mathews was moved to a new office and his phones were connected to that office.
“[The phones] were connected to his new office as were his computers and all he had to do was walk straight in. He had a suite of offices, he has his own office, his staff have their own offices.
“I can assure you there are many people working in office life who would love to have Peter Mathews’ office in the spacious capacity that he’s in at the moment.”
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Yes it is a game, every four years opposing parties get re-elected. They pretend to have different policies but don’t, they pretend they care about the country, but don’t. They promise to do this and that, but don’t. Yes it is a game and we are the pawns, pawns they know will rant and rave every four years yet have short memories. This fool is irritating.
It’s every 5 years, not 4. The lack of basic research really undermines your point
I suspect the majority of those who agree or disagree with my point aren’t as pedantic as you. The lack of common sense and basic logic undermines you as a troll also.
@vocal
You are for ever coming on here with this dismissive attitude.
………………..away with you vocal ! (in homage to the Cpt.)
Probably @vocal is similar to FG party, its easy to be dismissive than debate
The Party , fcuk democracy & it’s people , The Party comes first !
If democracy worked, it would have been outlawed a long time ago.
ME & MY Party, fcuk democracy, ME & MY Party come first!
So no comeback for the rosary rattlers. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Lucifer Creighton, unfortunately.
Right wing Steve, I think you logged on with the wrong account for that comment.
Explain
Oh trust me guys…being from Wexford and knowing about this guy, Paul Kehoe is the epitome of the word “lackey”. He is basically as dumb as a bag of rocks and will do as he is told. I have heard radio interviews with him that are less coherent than conversations with my 2 year old nephew. How he ever got elected I’m not sure because he has the reputation of being the court fool in Wexford, the jester that dances around in motley for the amusement of the cabinet!!! I bet he is even asked to juggle and do cartwheels and sing silly little rhymes for his masters when government cabinet meetings get boring. I cant imagine he contributes much else as it’s about all he is good for!!!
Kevin I am from Wexford and I know the guy and you are 100 percent correct in what you say. He came into politics at the right time and got his tongue up Kenny butt and in fairness that worked for him. Unfortunately knowing the lad and his position of power really scares me as he is not equipped to be in that position. He is a nice lad but that doesnt make you good in goverment.
There is a certain cleverness in one who succeeds without intelligence, albeit having to loose any sense of pride and moral guidance
I know him too, he’s not a nice guy.
He did count the votes with chairman Charlie after the Burton heave though, then destroyed the ballot papers.
All above board I’m sure.
Come to think of it, the same applies to Enda Kenny. A very intellectually challenged man who would not even be a politician in any other country, undermined a leader. I suspect Kenny is a reasonably decent man also, yet he has swallowed all sense of pride and moral duty to succeed.
Nevermind* a leader. Sorry, still don’t know how to use this new phone
“It is important that the people know that there is an election ; those who cast their votes decide nothing , those who count the votes decide everything !” …or words to that effect ; Joseph “Mario Draghi” Stalin……
I think they were his baptism and confirmation names , but I could be wrong ……..
Hello E.C.B. representatives of Ireland , I know you’re looking cos I’m looking right back , nowhere to hide now after Fiachra Daly , now would be a good time to leave ;
Goldman Sachs did (oh I know they left a contingent behind , big mistake, it’s like the snake loosing its skin it lets us know there’s a diamondback about with its dirty little forked tongue).
Kevin
It’s interesting that you can so easily post libellous comments about a Public Representative on a public forum without a care in the world about the potential for very serious personal consequences if the target of your views wishes to challenge you in the Courts.
My guess is that you belong to that grouping of people who tend to put their mouths or fingers into gear just a bit before the brain cells start working.
Is Richie Rogers the real Paul Kehoe?
We may never know.
Or care.
Who is in or out wont be worrying Paul Kehoe after next election. Word is he wont be standing again and even if vhe does he wont make it.
This guy should shave his head
That’s the first thing I thought Angela.
I mean no disrespect to bald people, I actually have a very strong physical attraction to Jean Luc Piccard the captain of Star Trek. But I always think hiding thinning hair or bald spots is unnecessary and counter productive, it actually draws more attention to what you are trying to hide. Just shave it off and be happy.
Theyre better off out of fg anyway if they want to stay in politics. The traitors in government will be held to account someday i hope.
Hard luck Chief. Still topping the polls.
Paul Kehoe is wexfords lowest polling Td, scraped in on the last count during the FF backlash. He won’t be back.
Has anyone here ever been polled? Where do these polls come from.
Dream on. Your days are numbered
They al so said – Not a penny more into anglo. So forgive me if I don”t believe this chap
Paul is just being incredibly stupid and naive saying this. Of course a number of the so called rebels will be back. I also think that the party is doing itself few favours on this. Labour’s free vote on the Seanad is a poor reward for the tight whipping FG enforced to get the abortion legislation through.
More importantly however, there are people like Leo Varadkar that are annoyed at how vindictive the treatment has been of the likes of Denis Naughten and Lucinda Creighton who are bright people and strong performers that stood over promises that they made to their electorate and paid a political price for it.
Do we not have a mature enough democracy to allow people to have a Robin Cooke moment and retreat to the backbenches?
Paul will spend a long time out in the cold when the internal dynamic changes because a lot of Kenny’s henchmen are extremely unpopular in the Party and haven’t a hope of taking over from him. I am talking about Hogan, Reilly et alea.
Coveney will be the kingmaker whenever Kenny goes and he is a moderate, he is also close to the likes of Naughten and Creighton and is not the kind of person to leave proven vote getters and parliamentarians languishing whilst a buffoon like Michael Ring is a junior Minister and Jimmy Deenihan sits at cabinet.
Simon Coveney can’t deal with a parking ticket ; how in the name of God could that guy not be removed from office immediately is beyond me ….furthermore he seems to think that he is D.P.P. ; “I am only bringing one prosecution in the Horsemeat scandal ” …or words to that effect ; he obviously doesn’t have a clue about our legal system appointing himself investigator, prosecutor, judge and jury ! Reminds me of Ray Burke’s “Line in the sand !”
Hello Simon !
For someone who carries the name Robespierre you should know that Ireland has a mantra in her soul ;”neither KING nor Kaiser ”
Denis Naughten ; “a spy in the cold?” to coin a phrase , sleeper? ; yeah or no ?……………. “it’s important that we are seen to do something !”
Tl/dr
Bit early for a fascist story.
It’s no place for clueless muck savage farmers like yourself either Mr. Kehoe.
This is a mistake. Respect for the Party Whip is important. The alternative is chaos. But Abortion is one of those issues. It’s an issue of conscience. The Taoiseach should let these TD’s back into the Parliamentary Party after 6 months a la Sinn Fein. He should acknowledge that Abortion divides families, never mind Political Parties and that given that, an exception is being made this one time- unequivocally stating that he will make no further exceptions during his time as Taoiseach.
Zeig Neil!
As a teacher Enda Kenny would say, “Now class be quiet and do as I tell you”.
As Taoiseach and leader of FG Enda Kenny says, “Now TDs, Senators & the Irish people, be quiet and do as I tell you”.
Now a class room is not a democracy, so why does Enda Kenny think a country should be run in the same way?
As a teacher he should know that Laissez Faire caused the famine and he should also know what happens to those who feign to rule for a foreign power in Ireland !
He taught for 2 or 3 years forty years ago. What he is doing has SFA to do with being a teacher. Party rules and that is it.
MiniPurin rides on. Sad to see a great party implode over the need of one man’s ego. I’m non party myself, but I’ve seen out and out Fine Galers come to tears over the direction their beloved organization has taken.
Glad to see you’ve joined to pro choice side at last, hopefully there will be more like you.
What’s a Cinderella game?
This is just the new independent FF, don’t be fooled, they’ll be back in the fold eventually
That Dail reform is going really well, keep it up Enda and this referendum will be a landslide!
Why would they want to go back to FG?
To serve Dictator Enda?
Elected TDs are entitled to voice their personal opinions and those of their constituents.
They are entitled to vote NO on conscientious grounds!
The Party Leader who does not acknowledge the natural rights of TDs and imposes the whip is a bully, and a dictator.
To claim to be a Catholic but not a Catholic Taoiseach is a contradiction!
Pre-election Enda said he was pro-life but he changed his views after election without consulting the electorate!
Sad reflection on FG.
Minister Alan Shatter voted against the party whip on the hunting debate. He was not expelled!
Liam Cosgrave as Taoiseach voted against his own party FG – he was not expelled – but when TDs vote on against the Government on the Abortion legislation they are expelled.
Sad reflection on all FG who voted for ABORTION!
“Politics, noun. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” — Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary, 1911
The language of economics is based on agriculture ; seed capital, stock etc.
The language of modern capitalist politicis ; “whip” , bond ; the language of slavery “bonded indenture” ;; the slaveowners just went into banking when the slaves freed themselves , the political partys are just the same as the pirates who raided west Africa and cork indeed ; every ship sinks though when it overloads !
You read Steve Bell in the Guardian – good for you.
Now have you anything original to offer?
…………………. says the ugly sister !
Speaking of Cinderella. Who are the ugly sisters? Have a pretty good idea myself!
‘anyonewho’ should be two separate words.
First Dail reform should be to ensure that all elected representatives have equal representation rights.
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