Wexford TD Dr Liam Twomey will provide a major morale boost to Fine Gael's parliamentary party today when the new recruit attends his first meeting of the party's TDs, senators and MEPs. Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent, reports.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, yesterday held out the prospect that the former independent deputy could be on the Fine Gael front bench within weeks. Dr Twomey will formally join Fine Gael at its two-day parliamentary party meeting which opens in Kilkenny today.
Dr Twomey yesterday acknowledged that some people in Wexford would be upset that he had joined Fine Gael having been elected as an Independent, but insisted he was doing so in order to better represent his constituents. "I have seen limitations as an independent . . . A political party offers a very strong base and a very strong way of projecting your views."
He said he apologised to anyone who was upset, adding: "I never set out to deliberately mislead anybody."
The recruitment gives Fine Gael a good chance of winning two of the five seats in the Wexford constituency at the next general election, although Mr Kenny claimed yesterday that the party would aim to win three. He described Dr Twomey's decision as "a vote of confidence in the party".
He said Dr Twomey had neither sought nor been promised a front bench position, but acknowledged that he brought "professional credibility and years of experience to the Fine Gael party". While his "professional credibility" and experience is in the area of health, Mr Kenny said he would be a good spokesman on this or other areas.
Ms Olivia Mitchell TD currently holds the health portfolio.
Mr Kenny said Dr Twomey had asked him for nothing. "We did not discuss any issue around a return for his joining the party. He is one of the few people that I have ever met in politics that didn't actually ever mention it. There was nothing promised and nothing demanded."
The two-day Kilkenny meeting will analyse Fine Gael's successes in June's local and European elections and its prospects for the next general election.
The meeting is designed to prepare the party for the new Dáil term which begins next week.
Mr Kenny said yesterday that Fine Gael's focus was on the next general election which he believed was about 100 weeks away.
In relation to his hopes of constructing an alternative government platform together with the Labour Party he said: "Let me say I respect Pat Rabbitte, I respect his party, I respect his leadership of the Labour Party and the discussions and the negotiation that we will enter into will be on the basis of mutual understanding and respect."
Mr Kenny confirmed that he would have a reshuffle of the party's spokesmen and women "shortly" to take account of the election of Mr Gay Mitchell and Mr Simon Coveney as MEPs, and the appointment of Mr John Bruton as EU representative in Washington.