James Reilly would welcome Frank Flannery back to Fine Gael

Minister for Children James Reilly has said he "absolutely would welcome" former Fine Gael strategist Frank Flannery back into the party.

Dr Reilly said he believed Mr Flannery, who resigned from Fine Gael last year amid controversy over his lobbying of the Government on behalf of Rehab, had given "considerable service over a long period" to not just the party but also the country.

Speculation about Mr Flannery returning to the party arose after he was seen meeting Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Dublin over the Christmas period. Mr Kenny said before Christmas he still regarded Mr Flannery as "a friend" and that "there are always opportunities for people to give of their best".

“I absolutely would welcome Frank Flannery,” Dr Reilly told journalists during a visit to the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in Dublin. “I would look forward to having the benefit of his wisdom and experience available to the party into the future.”

Mr Flannery, who was Fine Gael's director of organisation and strategy, defied calls from the Taoiseach to appear before the Public Accounts Committee to answer questions about his role in Rehab, which caused political embarrassment for the Government.

Mr Flannery accused the committee members of attempting to run amok and of behaving in “an illegal and almost righteous fashion” in their examination of Rehab.

Dr Reilly said at the time, “anybody called before the committee should attend” once the committee is acting within its remit. “That matter is now in other courts of judgement and I believe it will be resolved there,” Dr Reilly said.

Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney said he knew "absolutely nothing" about Mr Flannery returning to the party other than hearing media stories about it.

“Frank Flannery stepped down in terms of his involvement in Fine Gael and election preparations. I don’t see that changing and I don’t see that it has changed,” he said. “All I have heard is that the Taoiseach met Frank Flannery for a cup of coffee which isn’t exactly a big news story.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he was preparing for an election this year but that the timing was in the hands of the Government.

“Perhaps the fact [the Taoiseach] met urgently with Frank Flannery before Christmas might be an indicator in that regard but who knows,” he said.

Mr Martin said that before Mr Flannery "does anything, he should respond adequately to the PAC" to provide accountability around Rehab given public funds were spent by the organisation.

North Kildare Fine Gael TD Anthony Lawlor said Mr Flannery had been very good to Fine Gael but there were certain questions surrounding his liaisons with the Rehab Group. He said there were good people in the party who would be able to direct it in the next general election.

“I’m suggesting that at the moment I wouldn’t be exactly overly happy with Frank Flannery coming back in because it will divert attention away from what the Government is doing at the moment,” he said.

Since his resignation, Mr Flannery has often criticised Fine Gael’s approach in Government. He told the MacGill Summer School the party’s local elections campaign was “one of the worst I ever saw”. He also said the Government must stop acting like it is “a dictator”.