TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has warned Fianna Fáil TDs to be cautious when commenting about Ireland’s economic situation because their remarks could be picked up by international media.
Government Chief Whip John Curran confirmed Mr Cowen stressed the “impact of what we say and do” at yesterday’s meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party.
“One of the bigger issues that came up for attention and discussion was some of the frustration expressed by members at some of the international coverage we’ve been receiving here in Ireland in relation to our economic situation,” Mr Curran said.
“There was . . . I suppose, a caution that everything we say and do, we’re being watched and scrutinised very, very carefully. So there’s an onus of responsibility to be careful in what we say and how we say it, because this is certainly being picked up internationally.”
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Mr Curran said Fianna Fáil deputies had a responsibility to be “cautious and careful” in the type of language they used.
Mr Curran said the Minister for Social, Family and Community Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív “clearly indicated” there were no plans to means test the contributory old-age pension. Others at the meeting said Dublin North East TD Michael Woods was one of a number of deputies to raise concerns that pensioners could be targeted in the upcoming budget.
Longford-Westmeath TD Mary O'Rourke was highly critical of an opinion piece by Morgan Kelly, professor of economics at UCD, in Monday's edition of The Irish Times. Mr Kelly wrote that Ireland was effectively insolvent and the next crisis would be mass home mortgage default. Mrs O'Rourke asked: "Is Morgan Kelly God?"
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Ó Cuív said the Government would try to be "as fair as possible to every sector of society that depends on the State for support" in the budget.