Does Micheál Martin still have confidence in Timmy Dooley for top European job? – Richmond

As an investigation by the Ceann Comhairle into voting irregularities concerning Fianna Fáil Deputy Timmy Dooley gets underway, a Fine Gael Senator has asked if Micheál Martin still has confidence in Timmy Dooley for a key role in the powerful ALDE party.

Fine Gael Senator and spokesperson on European Affairs, Neale Richmond, has asked if Micheál Martin supports Deputy Dooley’s bid for re-election as a Vice President of the liberal ALDE party.

Senator Richmond said: “At the ALDE congress in Warsaw this December, Deputy Dooley will seek re-election as a Vice President of the powerful liberal party that also contains key European figures like Guy Verhofstadt, Mark Rutte and Margrethe Vestager.

“At a key period in Ireland’s relationship with our European partners, we must put our best people forward. One must ask therefore if Micheál Martin thinks Deputy Dooley should be running for such an important position when he has been suspended from the FF frontbench?

“If Micheál Martin deems Deputy Dooley unfit to sit on the Fianna Fáil front bench at this time, is he really fit to sit on such a key European platform?

“The Fianna Fáil party has a series of important questions to answer in relation to this very serious situation.

“Our European colleagues share a keen appreciation for the sanctity of the parliamentary vote and no doubt they will also be paying keen attention,” Senator Richmond concluded.