Offaly politicians clash over Harris confidence vote

An Offaly Sinn Féin councillor has taken aim at her fellow county man and first-time Fine Gael TD, John Clendennen, after he voted confidence in the Tanáiste during a contentious Dail debate last week.

Declaring that “people in Offaly deserve better” Cllr Aoife Masterson said in a social media post that Deputy Clendennen had “showed where his loyalties lie - and they are not with the people of Offaly” when he joined with his party colleagues in the Dail last week in congratulating Simon Harris on “a job well done.”

Deputy Clendennen was one of 94 TDs to vote in favour of a Government motion of confidence in Simon Harris in the Dail last week, which was tabled in the wake of a no cofidence tabled by Aontú leader, Peadar Toibín.

During his Dáil contribution, the Kinnitty-based Fine Gael TD expressed “full confidence” in Simon Harris and said were it not for “the encouragement and commitment to public life” that the Tanáiste has shown time and again “there is a good chance I would not be in this Chamber today.” He added that Harris had proven himself with “dignity, respect and, above all, hard work” and is “dedicated to serving the people of Ireland.” Aoife Masterson was highly critical of the stance adopted by Deputy Clendennen in the Government's confidence motion and said he had joined his Fine Gael colleagues in congratulating Simon Harris “on a job well done – thanking Simon for getting him elected” instead of addressing “the real issues facing people” in Offaly.

She praised Mary Lou McDonald for speaking “truth to power” during the confidence debate and said she had stood up for scoliosis patients such as young Tullamore man, T.J Coughlan, even when “our own elected representatives failed to do so.”

Meanwhile, Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, said in a social media post that she had voted no confidence in Tánaiste, Simon Harris, and she also listed the names of the 94 TDs who have expressed their confidence in the Tánaiste. She added that she was clarifying how she had voted in case there was “misinformation being thrown out there by certain political parties.”

Deputy Nolan, who was the only one of the three TDs in Offaly to vote no confidence in Mr Harris, said she hoped that people would be able to “see through and correct any misinformation being articulated online” by her decision to publish the names of all the TD's who had voted confidence yes in the confidence debate. She also described it as “very odd” that three Independent Ireland TDs had voted confidence in the Tánaiste, namely Deputies Michael Collins, Michael Fitzmaurice and Ken O'Flynn.