The main Opposition parties will unite in the Dβil tomorrow behind a motion of censure against Independent TD, Mr Tom Gildea.
Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party boycotted proceedings last Thursday and Friday when the Government refused to allow some of its parliamentary time to censure the Donegal South-West TD following his allegations that the Fine Gael Dublin North TD, Mrs Nora Owen, accepted bribes and attempted to put pressure on garda∅ to clamp down on television deflector supporters when she was Minister for Justice.
The motion, to be moved in private members' time tomorrow night, will be signed by the deputies from the three parties and will be voted on after three hours of debate on Wednesday night. It says that Mr Gildea made "outrageous unfounded allegations", and should be censured by the Dβil for behaviour "which is totally unbecoming for a member of this House".
The Fine Gael Chief Whip, Cork East TD Mr Paul Bradford said yesterday the Opposition parties were not engaged in a vendetta against Mr Gildea. "So far, Mr Gildea has given a half-baked withdrawal of the charges. We want the substance of the allegations fully withdrawn."
Mr Gildea was unavailable to comment yesterday on reports that he may make a statement to the House tomorrow. In the Dβil on Thursday he apologised "for the hurt caused to Deputy Owen and her party", but this was dismissed as inadequate by Fine Gael. Mr Gildea, as an Independent supporting the Government, will have his weekly meeting with the Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, tomorrow. It is likely that Mr Brennan will attempt to persuade him to take steps to defuse the controversy.
A Fine Gael source said a full withdrawal of the allegations could provide "a new dynamic" in the controversy. "There are other issues on which the Government is vulnerable right now. But we must restore the integrity of parliament and vindicate the good name of a colleague," the source added.
In any vote on the censure motion the Government will have the support of Mr Gildea's Independent colleagues, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, Mr Harry Blaney and Ms Mildred Fox.
