Former Rehab director and Fine Gael strategist Frank Flannery has this morning said Fine Gael is "possibly" considering asking him to return to advise the party as a strategist.
Mr Flannery said it was “pretty realistic” to say Fine Gael could lose 40 seats in the next General Election. He resigned from his positions as Fine Gael’s director of elections and party trustee last March following the Rehab controversy.
“Could I make a difference? Haven’t a clue ... has the party asked me to come back as a strategist? No it hasn’t. Is it thinking about it? Possibly I would say. Did the Taoiseach and me have a little chat recently? Yes we did. Factually correct.
“How did it start? It started by him when he was speaking to pol corrs [political correspondents] before Christmas he was asked the question, ‘What about Frank Flannery?’ And he answered it in quite a fulsome way.”
Speaking to Marian Finucane on RTÉ Radio One, Mr Flannery said Mr Kenny had said if they happened to meet they would have a cup of coffee and a chat.
“So I being the genial individual that I am responded to that in a similar seasonal goodwill fashion. On foot of that we’ve resumed our chatting to a certain extent, that we used to have, and so whether or not he wants to bring me back as a strategist or asked me to, if he does I’ll certainly give it serious consideration because I think the next election is going to be possibly the most important in any of our lifetimes.
“And if I could help to secure good government for Ireland I most certainly would see it as an opportunity to do that. But I haven’t been asked.”
Turning to the request of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for him to appear before it in relation to the Rehab controversy, Mr Flannery said when he asked committee members to let him know what topics they wanted to discuss with him and how those fell within their remit, they had not answered.
“Secondly they sought to compel me, and the Committee on Procedures and Privileges found that what they were trying to do with me was wholly and totally outside their remit.”
When it was put to Mr Flannery that Mr Kenny had said last spring he should attend, Mr Flannery replied: “But that was before he was apprised of the reality ... he hasn’t said anything about it since.”
Mr Flannery said anything Mr Kenny might have said to him was a matter for the pair of them.
“He certainly is aware of the decision of the Committee on Procedures and Privileges, as indeed every member of the Dáil should be, because that effectively settled the issue.”
