Former Minister of State for Agriculture, Ned O'Keeffe, a member of Fianna Fβil to his fingertips, appears to have no problems crossing party lines in search of legal advice for his upcoming appearance before the Public Offices Commission. Former Labour AG John Rogers, and Donal Spring, brother of the former Tanaiste, will stand by his side when he comes before the Commission on November 23rd for a public hearing into allegations that he broke Dβil rules by not revealing a potential conflict of interest between his family piggeries and his departmental duties.
The delay in hearing the case has annoyed O'Keeffe's allies in Leinster House, who believe he has been hard done by, given that he quit office more than a year ago. Even his enemies accept the point. This week, Labour Leader Ruair∅ Quinn said the delay is not tenable, despite the Commission's protestations that all was done as quickly as possible.
The session, one of the most important in the Commission's short history, which begins at 10 a.m. at 18 Lower Leeson Street Dublin, will be open to the public. The verdict will prove a major talking point in Leinster House. An unfavourable ruling could see O'Keeffe facing a suspension similar to the 15-day ban suffered by his party colleague from Kerry North, Denis Foley, after it emerged that he had sat on the Public Accounts Committee's DIRT inquiry even though he held an Ansbacher account in the Caymans.
If O'Keeffe is cleared, Bertie Ahern will face grumbles from within his own ranks for getting a senior official to put pressure on the Cork East TD to quit, even though the Taoiseach's fingerprints are nowhere to seen.