Killeen would be honoured if chosen for Cabinet post

CLARE TD Tony Killeen has said he would be “very honoured” if he were elevated to Cabinet following the departure of Willie O’Dea.
The Kilnaboy man is Paddy Power’s favourite to be the next Minister for Defence, at odds of 2/1, ahead of Peter Power who is at 9/4.
While some feel the resignation of Trevor Sargent this week could hamper his chances, Deputy Killeen says he isn’t convinced it will be a factor. “I don’t know will it have any impact although it would mean that two Ministers of State would be leaving the one department. The Taoiseach will have to look at putting together the best team in national terms.”
He said that it is still unknown when the Cabinet vacancy will be filled but he said he would be privileged to make the step up, 18 years after he was first elected to the Dáil.
“I would be very honoured and it would be good for the region to have someone at the Cabinet table. Ministers of State are responsible for their own areas but while senior ministers are responsible for their own portfolio, when there is an issue in another department, that impacts on their region, they can also make a case that wouldn’t be made if they weren’t there,” he said.
Deputy Killeen said that there was a need to ensure that relations remained good between the coalition partners. “Both parties have been somewhat wounded by what has happened and trust has to be rebuilt. My view is that neither party is responsible for the outcome for the other. There were two votes today and all the indications were that there is considerable warmth between people on both sides.”
His constituency colleague Deputy Timmy Dooley claimed that there was no problem in relations between the Greens and Fianna Fáil following the resignations of Willie O’Dea and Trevor Sargent. “Things have never been better between the two parties,” he insisted. “There is a general cohesiveness around the major issues facing the Government and we’re as committed as ever to dealing with the employment situation, which is most pressing, the banking crisis and the public finances.”
He said that there have been “sideshows” for the past week and that Opposition parties had been doing their best to create division. “There have been efforts to drive a wedge between the two parties but the claims have no basis in fact. The letter that was leaked was something that Fianna Fáil members couldn’t have access to. The idea that it came from Fianna Fáil is fanciful.”
He said that Mr Sargent had been a “great asset” to the Government and that there was a lot of sympathy for him. Deputy Dooley also claimed that the Green Party TD’s integrity was beyond reproach.
Deputy Dooley also denied that there was any bitterness within Fianna Fáil regarding the manner of Willie O’Dea’s departure from the Cabinet.
“People recognised that there was an ongoing distraction around the story and for that reason, he tendered his resignation. The Greens had a problem but it was mostly that the Opposition would continue to keep raising it and disturbing the order of business. That more than anything was what they felt would do harm.”