No obligation on Fianna Fáil to disclose any contractual relationship, party TD says

Vivienne Clarke

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins has said there was no obligation on the party to disclose any contractual relationship.

Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Mr Collins said that revelations that former Fine Gael Minister and political commentator Ivan Yates had provided services to the party’s presidential candidate Jim Gavin was “not new news”.

“Fianna Fáil, like any political party, like any organisation, procures services from people and there's no obligation, in my opinion, for Fianna Fáil to be disclosing any contractual relationship that they have," he said.

"So it's no big deal. It's been out there in the public domain for a long period of time. It's well known.”

When asked if the issue was causing conflict between the government parties, Mr Collins responded: “I think it's just another example, this is a concern I have within the working of government, that Fine Gael take every opportunity to try and undermine Fianna Fáil and to try to undermine the Taoiseach Mícheál Martin at every opportunity they get and I think this is just another example of it.

“I don't understand. It's not really any of Fine Gael’s business what media consultants or media trainers Fianna Fáil use. So I don't understand why Minister Colm Brophy will be saying on radio when he's asked in relation to this that Fianna Fáil have questions to answer.

"We don't in my view. It's a matter for Fianna Fáil, who Fianna Fáil engages as a media coach or indeed as a consultant.

“I just struggle to understand why they are saying it raises questions and I think that they're just in a subtle way trying to undermine Fianna Fáil. That's my opinion.”

Senator Anne Rabbitte, who received media training from Ivan Yates, said she was unhappy that the issue and the fallout from the presidential election were dominating the headlines.

“I think this is all, it's all dragging on. It's incredibly embarrassing for the elected representatives, very embarrassing for our grassroots and our councillors.

"I think it needs to go to bed as quickly as possible. And I think it (review of presidential election) needs to be open, honest and transparent .

“We're eight days in the papers, it's not good news, you don't like that. It's because of the past.

"We prefer to be talking about what needs to be talked about, what people are elected to do, which is actually to see where we're going with housing, where we are going with health, where we are ensuring that people with additional needs are getting the support they need.

"Well certainly that's lost. That's what we should be talking about.”