Outgoing Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue has said he never sought to "bury" information about the expenses incurred in the course of exercising his duties and he never transgressed any guidelines. He said he had never abused his office for his own enrichment and was guilty of no corruption.
Mr O'Donoghue delivered a lengthy statement of resignation to the Dáil this afternoon in which he said he would not allow his record in public life to be "stained by the triumph of the half-truth".
He told the House it was a an "accepted convention" of our political system that the Ceann Comhairle should remain above political controversy. He said he had believed it was "inappropriate" for him to publicly respond to recent comment regarding his expenses.
"By failing to respond…I surrendered the right to protect myself in the public media. I did so to protect the impartiality of that office," Mr O'Donoghue said.
He said his silence to date had been observed to ensure the office of Ceann Comhairle would not become the object of political controversy. " I did not want to establish a precedent in that regard."
But he said he would not allow his record in public life to be "stained by the triumph of the half-truth".
The press had never denied him his right of reply, he said. “On the contrary – that’s all they have demanded to date."
Mr O'Donoghue said he wanted to clarify one matter. He said he had published his expenses on Friday, October 2nd because he believed the publication in the media would be a "distraction" from other matters of public importance that weekend, namely the Lisbon Treaty. "The release of the records at that time secured parity of information for all media outlets...I did not attempt to bury the information in other events as some have suggested.”
Mr O'Donoghue, who is resigning following the controversy over his travel and other expenses, made a robust defence of his record in the Ceann Comhairle's office and in his former ministry at the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.
“It would be a gross distortion and a deep injustice to me to suggest that my first allegiance and indeed my only allegiance, was to anything but to the Irish people," he said.
He said he was proud of contributions he had made to the worlds of art and sport, listing projects such asSemple Stadium, Lansdowne Road, the Cliffs of Moher centre, Wexford Opera House, Cork Opera House and the Abbey and Gate theatres. “I am proud that I fulfilled my mandate to the Irish taxpayer and to the Irish people," he said.
Mr O'Donoghue told the House he hoped the method by which his departure had been "contrived" would be seen for what it was - "a denial of due process". He would leave the post content in the knowledge that "friend and foe alike" acknowledged that he had discharged the role of Ceann Comhairle "without fear or favour".
He thanked his wife, Kate-Ann and his family, as well as his staff and the Houses of the Oireachtas staff. He also thanked his friends and supporters in "South Kerry and beyond" and the members of the House who had extended courtesy to him.
Speaking to the press - "the men and women of the fourth estate" - Mr O'Donoghue added: "It has been the best of times and it has been the worst of times."
He said he had never taken anything from any man. "I never could, I never would. To do otherwise would be to deny who I am and where I came from.”
Mr O’Donoghue’s resignation brings to a close one of the most dramatic episodes in recent parliamentary history.
Fianna Fáil's Louth TD Seamus Kirk was elected as his successor by 87 votes to 51.