Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach's response to this episode of stroke politics is one of incoherence - studied incoherence - while the Tánaiste's response is one of studied evasion. She had detailed conversations with the Taoiseach on this matter. I find it hard to believe that in the course of those detailed discussions she did not ask the Taoiseach directly what his involvement with the appointment of Mr. McNulty to the board of IMMA was. I find that astonishing. Is the Tánaiste trying to tell us that she did not ask the Taoiseach that very obvious question? To the public looking on, the Taoiseach's fingerprints are all over this piece of stroke politics. He has been incoherent and has taken responsibility in a generalised sense, but for what specifically? He has avoided in a studied way answering clearly about his involvement with the appointment of this man - a political colleague, or crony, depending on one's vantage point - to this board. So the Tánaiste had these conversations with the Taoiseach. Did he tell her about it? Did she ask him? Has she got a clear sense of the sequence of events? Does she know precisely what happened, and if she does, is she prepared to share it with the Dáil?

This is not an internal Fine Gael matter. The Fine Gael piece is a matter for Fine Gael, but stroke politics and pulling a fast one in appointing a person - who I am sure is a fine person - to a board are not acceptable. The Tánaiste has said that repeatedly. What was the Taoiseach's involvement? What did he tell the Tánaiste, and will she share it with the Dáil?

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