INTERVIEW:Éamon Ó Cuív insists the Fianna Fáil top job is not something he would like to take on, writes MARY MINIHAN
THE OUTSPOKEN interventions by Minister for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív on pensions, including those of European Commissioner Máire Geoghegan- Quinn and Bank of Ireland chief executive Richie Boucher, have prompted some speculation he is interested in the leadership of Fianna Fail.
Ó Cuív says there was “no great motivation” for his comment that Boucher should voluntarily forgo a €1.5 million top-up to his pension.
“I’m in politics because for the 18 years I worked before I got into politics, my total commitment was to social equity to social development to social cohesion. My life has been dedicated to the principle that those who have owe social solidarity to those who don’t have,” he says.
“Anybody who knows me would know that would be a fundamental political philosophy of mine that I would have had all throughout my adult life and certainly those who know me could have told me exactly what my view was without even asking me on these issues.”
He says he made no specific remark about Geoghegan-Quinn, who recently relinquished her ministerial and Dáil pensions for the duration of her term of office, “but the general principle that those of us who lead and those of us who have in society at this time have an obligation to take our share of the burden”.
Asked if leadership is a mantle he would like to take on, Ó Cuív replies “no”. Asked if he is satisfied with Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s leadership of Fianna Fáil, he says “yes, absolutely”.
The former Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs says he is always amazed at the number of people “who think I’m pure country”.
“Approximately half my life has been lived in Dublin. The first half of my life was pure city upbringing, pure 100 per cent middle-class Dublin upbringing.
“And the other half of my life has been living in a very rural area, in a really rural, rural area, and I am very much made up of those two halves.
“There’s part of me that is, I would hope, very much in tune with rural Ireland.”
He says the unease felt by some rural people about proposed legislation to regulate dog breeding reminded him of the biggest political storm of his career, which followed “the proposal to impose a very modest rod licence to fishermen in Lough Corrib”.
That row tore his community apart, he recalls.
Ó Cuív says the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill, which has created tension between Fianna Fáil and the Greens, should be examined for “unintended consequences”.
While he knows the Greens did not have “ulterior motives”, he refers to a fear in rural Ireland that pursuits that had been enjoyed for generations are going to be stopped.
“The absolute agreement is the stag hunt is to cease, and we’re legislating for that, and that all the other country pursuits can continue . . . the Dog Bill of course is about standards and so on, it’s about a different issue, but obviously people are worried about the implications and it’s a good idea in my view to look into this very carefully to make sure there are no unintended consequences out of it.
“I don’t think any Fianna Fáil person has any reservations in relation to eliminating any cruelty or mishandling of dogs or whatever. What they feel is there might be unintended consequences out of the legislation, particularly in relation to keeping greyhounds, hunting dogs and so on, and I think they’re concerned to make sure there aren’t any unintended consequences.”
He concedes the next budget will be very tough, “so we have to work what I call the loaves and fishes trick”.
“In framing the budget, he suggests a new group – two- income families who lose one job and struggle to maintain their lifestyle without benefits – are in greater need of protection than some pensioners.
His predecessor in the department Mary Hanafin said the lone-parent allowance should be phased out when children reached the age of 13. He confirms this is also his policy, but gives no indication it would happen soon.
Ó Cuív adds that he intends to be a reforming Minister.
People with disabilities that impair their ability to work and earn a full wage should not be “locked out” of the workforce, and he hopes to make a speedy decision on that issue.