TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has declared his acceptance of the Fine Gael disciplinary committee rulings on Dublin South TD Olivia Mitchell and Clondalkin councillor Therese Ridge.
“I accept the result and the decision made by the internal disciplinary committee,” he said.
“As you know, that is completely independent of the party in terms of Fine Gael’s rules and regulations. I’m glad they made a decisive and very clear decision in respect of the two persons concerned and I accept their report.”
The committee ruled unanimously that Ms Mitchell was “totally exonerated from any complaint” over her acceptance of an unsolicited election donation from lobbyist Frank Dunlop in 1992.
However, Fine Gael has removed the party whip from Ms Ridge.
Both women were the subject of adverse findings in the Mahon tribunal report over accepting funding from Mr Dunlop.
Fianna Fáil refused to comment on the issue, but a senior member of Sinn Féin, Eoin Ó Broin, said: “Both of them have been let off lightly, particularly Olivia Mitchell.” He added: “The tribunal found that her receipt of the money was inappropriate.
“Clearly Therese Ridge was much more involved but that’s a question of degree, not of substance. It appears that Olivia Mitchell’s threat to resign from the Oireachtas saved her from any disciplinary action.”
A Fine Gael spokesman said it was not the party’s practice to release the names of the disciplinary committee members.
There had been no hearing on Cllr Anne Devitt, also mentioned adversely by the tribunal, as she had resigned from the party. “She took the whole process out of play.”
Minister for Health James Reilly said he was “delighted for Olivia Mitchell that she has been cleared. She is an excellent TD with an extraordinary long service and a woman of tremendous integrity.”
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, also commenting on Ms Mitchell, said: “I think it was the right decision.”
Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton said: “I am delighted that Olivia Mitchell, who has been an excellent public representative and an excellent colleague, has been exonerated in respect of this report. Other issues have been raised in respect of Therese Ridge and clearly this is an investigative process and I am not going to comment on that; there is a right of appeal and so on, so I’m not going to get involved in that.”
