Results 4,981-5,000 of 12,637 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: As Deputy Kenny stated, Fine Gael's tabling of a motion of no confidence has nothing to do with what I said or did last April or December.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The fact that my opposite number on the Fine Gael benches has not contributed to this debate would indicate to me that this has nothing to do with my work as the Minister for Defence.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Rather it has to do with Deputy Kenny's recent declaration to his parliamentary party in the aftermath of the George Lee debacle that "what I'm going to do now is be myself."

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Am I entitled to make my statement; yes or no?

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: All I can say is that whoever advised Deputy Kenny to be himself could not have given him worse advice.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The proof of this is that the case was settled in the High Court on 21 December-----

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: -----but it has taken until now - two months later - for Deputy Kenny to decide that this is a matter that, in his own words, he believes "goes to the very heart of the standards, judgment and ethics displayed at the top of this Government". It is not as if he could not have known about the case and my apology. It was widely reported in the media on 21 December and 22 December.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: One of Deputy Kenny's Senators issued a statement on the day the case was finalised in court, yet Deputy Kenny did not regard it as going to the very heart of anything at that point. On 2 February Senator Regan raised the allegations in Seanad Éireann but again Deputy Kenny did not regard it as going to the very heart of anything.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Deputy Kenny reminds me of the famous quotation about Henry James - that he has a mind so fine that no idea could violate it.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: In Deputy Kenny's case, he has a brilliant mind until he makes it up.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: What we are witnessing since the departure of the former Deputy George Lee back to a career in television is the opening performance of the new improved "Enda Kenny Show". It is more a sitcom than a documentary and like most sitcoms it is destined to be cancelled early in the season. I do not expect any of the Deputies opposite in the Fine Gael Party-----

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: It would not be reasonable to expect them to vote confidence in me when they find it so hard to vote confidence in their own leader.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Let me remind the House of the actual and verifiable facts that I placed on the record of the House last night. The settlement that was agreed before the High Court and which was finalised in proceedings of 21 December contained this key paragraph: "It is not suggested by Mr. Quinlivan that Mr. O'Dea acted other than innocently in making such denial and he accepts that there was no intention...

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: I have openly and fully acknowledged that my recollection of some of what I said in the interview with the journalist as described in my original affidavit was mistaken. I corrected the mistake on the day, not four months later. On the day I realised it, I corrected the mistake. I admitted the mistake and apologised for it. I have never denied saying what was reported in the The Limerick...

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: To put it in context, the remarks concerned an apartment owned by Brixton prison escapee Nessan Quinlivan - who shot his way out of Brixton prison-----

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: -----in the company of one of Jerry McCabe's murderers - which was being used as a brothel.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: Nessan Quinlivan is a brother of councillor Maurice Quinlivan.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: The information I had at the time from good sources was that Mr. Maurice Quinlivan was involved as well.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: That information was incorrect.

Confidence in Minister for Defence: Motion (17 Feb 2010)

Willie O'Dea: When I later saw a transcript of the interview in which I had, contrary to my recollection, gone further than what had been quoted in the newspaper-----