Labour leader: 'decision on McGarry is taken'

sligo | miscellaneous | news report Friday November 14, 2003 10:11 by allen - lp

As the controversy continues over the admission into the Labour Party of former Fine Gael councillor Jimmy McGarry, Labour leader Deputy Pat Rabbitte, speaking to The Sligo media in his first interview on the issue, pointed out that a democratic decision had been taken to welcome Ald. McGarry into the Party. Deputy Rabbitte added that he joined in that welcome and insisted that the democratic decision taken now had to apply.

"IT might be expecting too much to always believe that the path of political growth will be strewn with petals. It isn't always," said Labour Party Leader Deputy Pat Rabbitte.

In coming to Sligo this week, Deputy Rabbitte found his path was not entirely rosy, particularly in the aftermath of the controversial admission of Ald. Jimmy McGarry into the Labour Party. But despite the flowery language as he spoke in an interview with The Sligo Champion, Deputy Rabbitte's message was clear.

"The fact of the matter is that it is a democratic decision, application was made to the local organisation, the local organisation accepts it," said Deputy Rabbitte, adding that the alternative for Ald. McGarry was to apply to the national executive.

"He didn't do that. He choose to apply to the local organisation. The local organisation accepted him. Once the democratic decision is taken, that's the decision," the Party leader insisted.

Asked if he was annoyed with longtime Labour Party member Ald. Declan Bree, who felt the future of the party in the constituency would be at stake if Ald. McGarry was admitted, Deputy Rabbitte said he had "a number of things to be annoyed about that would take precedence over that," such as "the way this government is governing the country."

Deputy Rabbitte said that since he became leader of the Labour Party, he had been involved in recruitment up and down the country, and he was glad that the Party now had more than 3,500 new members during the last nine months.

Painful

"My own conviction is that revitalisation of the organisation is necessary, and is especially necessary if we are going to offer people candidates of ability in parts of the country that the Labour Party didn't touch previously," said Deputy Rabbitte.

Deputy Rabbitte continued: "The only thing that's different about Sligo is that Jim McGarry, who applied for membership to the local branch, happens to be an alderman and it's true that that was a painful experience for some members of the existing Labour organisation. But, you know, change is always painful but we get on with it. We are now the second largest party on Sligo Corporation and we are heading into local elections strengthened as a result of the exercise. Change, as I said, can be difficult."

As to Ald. McGarry or Ald. Bree possibly contesting a Dail seat for Labour in the constituency, Deputy Rabbitte said that Ald. McGarry didn't seek any special privileges when applying for membership of the Labour Party.

"The fact of the matter is that Ald. McGarry is an addition to our team here," said Deputy Rabbitte, who expects Ald McGarry to be on the ticket for the local elections.

"What happens thereafter is really into the future and it certainly wasn't in my mind, and I don't think it was in Ald. McGarry's mind," said Deputy Rabbitte, adding that he didn't know in whose mind it might have been.

First hurdle

Deputy Rabbitte said that the first hurdles were European and local elections.

And he added that a general election, notwithstanding the level of disaffection with the present government, could be three and a half or four years down the road.

But in response to the suggestion that Ald. McGarry's ambitions might include a Dail seat, Deputy Rabbitte said that ambition was not only a good thing but a necessary quality in politics.

"You wouldn't do the job of a public representative nowadays unless you had ambition," said Deputy Rabbitte .

He pointed out that the Labour Party was unique a year ago in conducting an election for its leader where the franchise was exercised by the ordinary members up and down the country. That universal franchise of one man, one vote, now operated for selection conventions for local, European and Dail elections.

But he said that selection was the privilege of the members and Ald. McGarry had never raised the issue with him of a Dail election.

"And what happens three years down the road, I can't comment on," said Deputy Rabbitte.

"If there is competition in any constituency up and down the country, it's a good thing as far as I am concerned," said Deputy Rabbitte.

Background

As to the controversy that has surrounded Ald. McGarry's admission to the Labour Party, and Ald. Bree's stand on that, Deputy Rabbitte said that, as he understood it, Ald. McGarry's background was essentially Labour Party. The family was Labour minded and "I am glad to see him back in the Labour fold," said Deputy Rabbitte .

The party leader said it "would be encouraging if everything was sweetness and light in Sligo."

"It might be expecting too much to always believe that the path of political growth will be strewn with petals. It isn't always that way but the fact of the matter is that Ald. McGarry applied to the local organisation, the local branch in his electoral area, and the branch accepted him into membership," said Deputy Rabbitte .

He acknowledged that it was true that some members throughout the wider constituency were more enthusiastic about his membership than others.

"That is true but the fact of the matter is that a democratic decision has been taken to welcome Ald. McGarry into the Party. I join in that welcome and that democratic decision now has to apply," said Deputy Rabbitte.

"I am not so sure you can grow a party and always expect harmony," said Deputy Rabbitte, who pointed out that Ald. Bree was a member of the national executive of the party.

Good relations

"He and I have good relations," said Deputy Rabbitte . "But quite frankly, this kind of friendly or fraternal rivalry is not something new in politics," and was "endemic in Fianna Fail in Sligo for a very long time."

Asked if he was annoyed with Ald. Bree, Deputy Rabbitte replied: "Oh, I can't afford to get annoyed. I have a number of things to be annoyed about that would take precedence over that. I am very annoyed over the way this government is governing the country. I am very annoyed about the condition of the health services. I am very annoyed at the manner in which the fruits of the boom were wasted and fritted away. So I am afraid that being annoyed with Declan Bree doesn't arise."

But in relation to Ald. McGarry's admission to the party, Deputy Rabbitte reiterated that a democratic decision had been made.

"It may take some members of the party in the wider constituency longer to come to grips with that democratic decision than others. You have to be sensitive to personal considerations always in a political party. The fact of the matter is that it is a democratic decision, application was made to the local organisation, the local organisation accepts it.

"The alternative for Ald. McGarry was to apply to the national executive. He didn't do that. He choose to apply to the local organisation. The local organisation accepted him. Once the democratic decision is taken, that's the decision," said Deputy Rabbitte.