FF leader claims 'Boxer' told him the Government "isn't going to last"
In the Dáil yesterday, Micheál Martin claimed Athlone TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran told him earlier this year that the Government 'isn't going to last at all'.
And the Fianna Fáil leader also criticised Deputy Moran and Galway TD Sean Canney for tossing a coin to decide who would become a Minister of State.
He said that this behaviour 'sheds a bad light' on appointments to the junior Ministerial positions.
This afternoon the Westmeath Independent asked 'Boxer' about Michael Martin's comments, and he replied that they were 'water off a duck's back'.
He took issue with the accuracy of Deputy Martin's account, claiming he had actually told him the Government would last for as long as Fianna Fáil supported it.
'I consider it a badge of honour that Micheál Martin would stand up in the Dail and mention my name. There's no such thing as bad publicity,' quipped 'Boxer'.
'I get on well with Micheál Martin and work well with him. But between the strikes, Brexit, Trump being elected in America, and issues in my own constituency, I'm far too busy to be worrying about what he has to say about me.'
'Boxer' is a former Fianna Fáil representative who is now in Government as a member of the Independent Alliance.
The exchange in the Dáil began with Micheál Martin stating that the programme for Government had promised an 'enhanced' role for Ministers of State.
'I put it to the Taoiseach that this got off to a bad start when Deputies Canney and Moran tossed a coin to decide who would become Minister of State,' he said.
'I remember asking Deputy Moran in the corridors was it two and a half years each (that they would serve in the role), to which he replied, 'you must be joking, this thing isn't going to last at all! It's one year at a time.'
'That is not about an enhanced role for the office of ministers of State. I would take it that (the Taoiseach) would disapprove of such behaviour by the two Deputies, albeit they're new to the House.'
The Taoiseach replied he read a report recently which stated that Ministers of State were powerless, but he denied that this was the case.
'All Ministers of State have responsibility. Some have been assigned by statutory delegation order and others have been allocated with responsibilities for particular areas,' said the Taoiseach.
He did not comment on Deputy Martin's claims about 'Boxer' and Sean Canney, other than to say Deputy Canney was currently 'doing a very good job' as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works.
Some of Michael Martin's comments yesterday can be viewed in this clip (courtesy of RTE's Conor McMorrow):