Killeen ended all prisoner representations after controversy

Efforts by former Minister of State Tony Killeen to secure the introduction of a new government ban on all political representations on behalf of prisoners was rejected by a Dáil sub-committee in February 2007, it emerged this week.

The former Labour Affairs Minister found himself in the eye of a political storm in January 2007 when it emerged his constituency office, without his knowledge, made “inappropriate” representations requesting the possible early release of a 74-year-old West Clare prisoner convicted of the abuse of two young boys.
Deputy Killeen was also criticised at the time for making four representations on behalf of a convicted murderer, two of which were made on humanitarian grounds, and one of these related to a temporary day release to attend a funeral, which appeared to be successful.
One in Four director, Colm O’Gorman said that it was extremely unfortunate that victims were forced to revisit what had happened to them after Deputy Killeen’s “inappropriate” representations.
In an interview with The Clare Champion this week, Deputy Killeen confirmed he wrote to the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges concerning the issue of representations made by members of the Oireachtas on behalf of prisoners and their families.
In response to his letter, Ceann Comhairle Dr Rory O’Hanlon confirmed this issue was considered by the committee at its meeting on February 21, 2007.
“The committee, whilst appreciating the sensitivity of the issue as highlighted by you, considers that the constitutional duties of members as public representatives encompass representing and communicating on a confidential basis with all constituents and resolving issues of concern to them.
“The committee considers it would be inappropriate to place any restrictions on members’ rights to make representations in view of their constitutional duty as public representatives.
“On that basis, the committee agreed that it is a matter for each member to use his/her own discretion in such matters,” Dr O’Hanlon stated.
Asked if he had raised the issue with the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party, Deputy Killeen insisted the this committee was a more appropriate forum to deal with this issue and didn’t think it would be appropriate to refer the matter to an independent body such as the Law Reform Commission.
He said that the political consensus was that the committee’s response had put an end to the matter.
“One of the things I didn’t manage to get across properly was this type of issue was probably inevitable given the huge amount of constituency letters which are sent out from a TD’s office. There are only 24 hours in the day and I had a lot less time to follow up on constituency matters once I became a minister.
“I also believe that in many respects, our society makes very little provision for victims and their families. Apart from the introduction of victim impact statements, the views of victims are not considered for or provided for in law,” he said.
Asked if he had made any representations on behalf of prisoners since the controversy, he confirmed that he had fulfilled a pledge he made at the time to end this practice, even requests on humanitarian grounds, in view of the hurt he had caused to the families of crime victims.
He also noted that since the controversy, other Dáil deputies had continued to make written representations on behalf of prisoners.
Deputy Killeen apologised to An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at the time for the mistakes in his constituency office and assured him new procedures were in place to ensure that there wouldn’t be a repeat of written representations to prisoners without his knowledge.
He also travelled to Bantry in West Cork to offer a personal apology to Nora Lynch, the mother of Robert Lynch, who was murdered by Christopher Cooney in an unprovoked attack in the Banner Arms, Ennis, in 1991.

Regular talks with cancer victims
Retiring Defence Minister Tony Killeen has revealed he regularly receives phone calls from cancer victims and their family members following his decision to speak publicly about his own bowel cancer in March 2009.
The Clare Fianna Fáil minister decided to bow out of national politics last week following medical advice amid fears that his health would suffer during the rigours of an expected robust general election campaign.
The North Clare deputy was also a guest speaker at a number of events organised by the Irish Cancer Society and other health campaigners including one function at the West County Hotel, Ennis, last spring, which was attended by over 400 people.
Deputy Killeen decided to go public about his own battle with bowel cancer and the impact of chemotherapy to support the Irish Cancer Society’s national campaign highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.
“Any time my bowel cancer was featured in the media, I got telephone calls from a number of people from the four corners of the country.
“I suppose cancer patients felt that I had a better understanding of the impact of this deadly disease because of my own experience.
“I tried to offer these patients, hope, advice and support during what can be a very difficult period for people,” he said.
He admitted that his cancer diagnosis gave him a totally different perspective on life and helped him to fully appreciate the importance of health.
“Cancer affects people in different ways. I was able to work for the most part during my illness but there were also days I just wasn’t able. That is a reality that people with cancer have to face,” he said. 
He confirmed that the relatively early diagnosis of his bowel cancer prevented him from losing his life and has also admitted that he could have avoided having chemotherapy if he had recognised the early signs of this potentially fatal disease.
Diagnosed with bowel cancer in the summer of 2008, Dr Liam Joyce of the Galway Clinic performed surgery on the Fianna Fáil deputy in October and December while consultant oncologist Maccon Keane from Lisdoonvarna, who works in the University College Hospital, Galway and the Galway Clinic prescribed his course of chemotherapy treatment.
Considering his mother died from bowel cancer in her mid-sixties, Mr Killeen accepted that he should have been more aware of the early signs of the disease.
“I would urge everyone who has a doubt about their own health at the back of their mind to get it checked out as quickly as possible. Early diagnosis is the key to survival. If I had detected my cancer earlier, a colonoscopy would have been able to deal with it,” he added.

National prominence with Shannon
Regardless of how many portfolios retiring Defence Minister Tony Killeen held, he will always be synonymous with the fortunes of Shannon Airport after taking the bold step of resigning the party whip early in his Fianna Fáil career.
Shannon Airport thrust Deputy Killeen into national prominence when he broke ranks with his own party when the then Transport Minister, Brian Cowen, conceded direct US flights into Dublin at the expense of Shannon.
Following the 1992 election that swept him into the Dáil with a poll-topping performance, Mr Killeen, who was seen as the ‘Shannon man’ having served as the chairman of the Shannon Status committee, had to contend with the threat to Shannon’s lucrative transatlantic status.
Even though Deputy Killeen had established a good relationship with the minister, he was the first to break ranks when the abolition of Shannon’s gateway status was announced and constituency colleague Síle de Valera quickly followed him.
Both resigned the Fianna Fáil whip and there were quite a few who suggested that the Tony Killeen had scuttled his political career and especially any later promotion prospects.
Divided loyalties frustrated what could have been a Mid-West revolt by TDs. Tony Killeen was convinced that Willie O’Dea in Limerick East could be won over if another big vote getter, the late Jim Kemmy, could be persuaded to come out on Shannon’s side. But the Limerick socialist had been rewarded with the chairmanship of the Labour Party when he returned to the Dáil and wasn’t keen to make a move.
Looking back on this period, Deputy Killeen admitted he didn’t think that direct flights would be guaranteed to Shannon for 19 years before open skies was finally introduced.
He pointed out Shannon could have lost all of its direct US flights back in 1993 and wondered if the best use was made of its gateway status during this period.
“It was always recognised that Dublin had to get some direct flights. I have to ask myself did we make the best use of Shannon’s status during these 19 years, when we had flights guaranteed by statute, or did we rest on our laurels?
“My political supporters would say that I got very little political capital for the stance that I took in relation to Shannon Airport. However, I don’t have any regrets,” he recalled.
His bid to get elected to Dáil Éireann in 1992 could have been derailed only for the intervention of local Fianna Fáil councillors. Seven years after securing a seat on Clare County Council in 1985, the Kilnaboy man ran at the Clare Fianna Fáil election convention but was beaten by outgoing Fianna Fáil deputies Sile de Valera and Brendan Daly as well as Councillor Colm Wiley.
A small group of his supporters held a meeting, chaired by Councillor PJ Kelly and included Councillor Pat McMahon, in the Old Ground Hotel immediately after the convention, where a strategy was devised to get him on the Dáil ticket.
One of the key ministers at the time, Environment Minister Pádraig Flynn, was contacted during the early hours to pass on a blunt message to the then taoiseach Albert Reynolds from local Fianna Fáil councillors – “take Tony Killeen as a Fianna Fáil candidate or else as an independent”.
A vox pop conducted by Clare FM the morning after the convention indicated huge support for Councillor Killeen. Party headquarters relented and Councillor Killeen was subsequently added to the ticket.