MINISTER FOR Defence Willie O’Dea is facing mounting pressure to give a more detailed explanation of the circumstances behind a sworn statement he made in defamation proceedings that he later accepted was untrue.
Fine Gael and Labour will both call on Mr O’Dea to fully outline in the Dáil today how he denied in an affidavit in April 2009 that he told a journalist the previous month that a Limerick Sinn Féin candidate Maurice Quinlivan owned a property in the city where two prostitutes had been recently arrested.
When the journalist’s recording of the interview was later produced, Mr O’Dea admitted he had made a false statement in the affidavit. He apologised to the court when the case was settled in December and also accepted he had made false and defamatory statements against Mr Quinlivan, who was elected to the city council last June. He also paid an undisclosed sum in costs and damages to the Sinn Féin councillor.
With the matter coming under renewed and increasing scrutiny over the past week, the Minister’s spokesman yesterday said that Mr O’Dea has spoken to Taoiseach Brian Cowen about the matter and will have “no difficulty” in making a full statement to the Dáil, if the matter is raised by the Opposition.
Mr O’Dea has denied perjury in the case. He has told The Irish Times: “I apologised. I put my hands up. I made a mistake.”
In the Limerick Chronicle on March 10th last year, Mr O’Dea responded to criticism by Mr Quinlivan of the high cost of having six civil servants working for the Minister on constituency matters.
“I suppose I’m going a bit too far when I say this, but I would like to ask Mr Quinlivan is the brothel still closed,” the article quoted Mr O’Dea as saying.
In other sections of the recording, which did not appear in the article, Mr O’Dea elaborated on his claim: “Do you know the brothel they found in his name and in his brother’s name down in Clancy Strand?” he asked journalist Mike Dwane.
He continued: “There was a house owned by him that was rented out and they found two ladies of the night operating in there in the last couple of weeks.”
Mr Quinlivan brought proceedings against Mr O’Dea. In an affidavit sworn on April 14th, Mr O’Dea stated: “I most categorically and emphatically deny that I said to Mr Dwane that the plaintiff was the owner of the said apartment,” he said. However, when the recording was produced, Mr O’Dea withdrew the affidavit.
He later apologised in court for making the statements, and then denying having made them, during the proceedings.
When asked about the matter yesterday, the Taoiseach’s spokesman replied: “The Minister has already outlined his position in court to the satisfaction of the court.” He would not be drawn into making any further comment.
Similarly the spokesman for the Green Party said: “This issue has been dealt with to the satisfaction of the court.”
Fine Gael yesterday said it would raise the matter today and expected full statements from both Mr O’Dea and the Taoiseach. In the Seanad, Senator Eugene Regan has twice accused Mr O’Dea of “lying on oath”.
“We are determined to ask the Taoiseach if he has confidence in Minister O’Dea staying in office in the light of this without him being sacked or even censured,” said the party spokesman.
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore also said that Mr O’Dea needed to make a statement to the Dáil and be prepared to answer questions.
“When you swear an affidavit, it is the same as giving sworn evidence in court. And when something in a sworn affidavit is incorrect, it has the same implications as something that is said in court that is incorrect . . . I don’t think it is good enough simply to wave it away. He is a Government Minister. It’s a serious matter if anybody swears something wrongly in an affidavit,” he said.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern yesterday publicly defended Mr O’Dea and attacked the Opposition as “despicable” for raising the matter. “I suppose Fine Gael are returning to type. They’ve always tried to get the dirt on people. I think it is despicable, to be honest,” said Mr Ahern.
