Deputy Mattie McGrath has said that weekend reports linking him to Fianna Fáil are categorically untrue, amid a row over his bid for membership in the Independent Technical Group.
The Tipperary TD denied claims which made the Daily Mail on Sunday’s front-page lead detailing how Fianna Fáil Ministers had asked Mr McGrath to rejoin the party 15 years after he left.
Ministers told the Mail on Sunday this weekend that they had approached Mr McGrath in Leinster House last week asking him to consider rejoining the party. It came after reports suggested such a move could be increasingly possible after Mr McGrath voted for Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.
However, rubbishing the claims, Deputy Mattie McGrath told Gript that it’s a “total non-story.”
“It’s not true, no. I never even responded back to journalists asking for a comment. It’s a total non-story. No, they don’t want me to rejoin. Not at all. It’s enjoyable, though, because a lot of the Fianna Failers in South Tipperary were very vexed about it.”
“What happened was this: One junior minister asked me in the Dáil last week about it – they said that they had heard I was rejoining Fianna Fáil. It was said tongue in cheek, that’s all.”
It comes amid an ongoing row over McGrath’s bid for membership in the Independent Technical Group of TDs in the Dáil, led by Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins.
Mr McGrath claimed that a formal request to join the group, made in December, has been ignored. With the collapse of the Regional Independent group, of which he had been accepted as a member, the former leader of the Regional Independents says he has been “muzzled” and left without speaking time despite a strong performance in the general election.
In a letter which Mr McGrath sent to Deputy Michael Collins, lead of Independent Technical Group – seen by Gript – the TD said he was writing as the leader of the Dail’s Independent grouping to request inclusion within the independent technical group. At the time the letter was sent to Deputy Collins’s email, the group incorporated Deputies Paul Gogarty, Michael Healy–Rae, and Danny Healy-Rae.
The group now includes Aontú’s two TDs, Peadar Tóibín and Paul Lawless, after they were accepted into the grouping in January. However, Mr McGrath claims he has been denied access to the group both verbally, while he claims a letter he sent asking for access was not responded to.
Speaking to Gript on Tuesday, Deputy McGrath said: “I wrote to Michael Collins in December. The month prior, just after the election in November, I also had a verbal conversation with them. I rang Michael Collins, and he rang me back to say that they didn’t want anymore than seven TDs in the group.
“The day that Aontú joined the group, Michael Fitzmaurice told RTE that Carol Nolan and I would be welcome in the group. How is that, when I’ve written a letter to the group requesting membership, and have gotten no response?”
“They made a statement on Saturday saying that they sent me an email on 6 January. There was no such thing, while I understand that Michael Collins told people that he never received my letter in the first place. I sent it to his personal email,” Mr McGrath added.
However, Independent Ireland TDs have roundly rejected the claim that Mr McGrath did not receive a response to his letter, and have claimed that Deputy McGrath is “misrepresenting the truth.”
Speaking on Tipp FM on Wednesday, Deputy Michael Collins said that Deputy McGrath had initially made efforts to form his own group. Mr Collins said Deputy McGrath asked if he could come onboard the Technical group after the election.
“A majority of our group said no,” Deputy Collins said. “Nothing personal, but they felt that the more people you have, the less time you’re speaking.”
Mr Collins said he “assumed” that Deputy McGrath would “still be able” to set up his own group.
“As an elected TD for Tipperary South, I have been given a clear mandate by my constituents to represent their interests in the Dáil. I believe that my inclusion in the Independent technical group would enhance our collective ability to advocate for the concerns of independent voices in our national parliament,” Mr McGrath penned in the letter dated 19 December.
Mr McGrath continued: “Having previously expressed my interest in joining the group informally, I now submit this formal written request for your full consideration. My experience in local and national politics, coupled with my strong grassroots connection, could bring valuable insights into the group’s discussions and initiatives.”
“I respectfully submit that denying access to this group would be a disservice not only to me but, more importantly, to the people of South Tipperary who have placed their trust in me as their representative. The principles of fair representation and diverse voices in our democracy are paramount, and I believe my inclusion would contribute positively to these ideals.”
The letter concluded: “Together, we could strengthen the independent voice in the Dail and more effectively influence key legislation.”
Mr McGrath urged the group to consider the “formal application” for inclusion in the independent technical group.
“If after careful consideration, you decide not to include me in the group, I would appreciate a written explanation of the reasons for this decision,” the letter adds.
Michael Collins TD has unequivocally denied Deputy McGrath’s claims, saying in a statement: “On January 8th, the administrator of our technical group replied to Deputy McGrath telling him that the Independent Technical Group would meet on January 21st and consider his application.
“However, before we met on January 21st Deputy McGrath had joined the Regional Independent Group, which is supporting the Government and he publicly aligned with them, making the consideration of his application unnecessary.”
Mr McGrath is now in a position where he is not part of any grouping – after Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy ruled that non-ministerial Regional Independent Group TDs (which he had joined) cannot form a technical group for opposition speaking time in the Dáil.
Mr McGrath told Gript that he had previously been accepted into the Michael Lowry-led group, and he had “no other choice” but to join having been denied a spot in Michael Collins’s grouping.
“I think the decision is shocking. We now have to wait a further three weeks for news on what will happen. Both Carol Nolan and myself were two poll toppers in my constituency, and we are being denied speaking rights. To be barred from speaking time is shocking, and I blame the opposition. This is the only alternative group we have been left with. The decision is anti-democratic, and discriminates against us as Independents.”
“I wanted to join Independent Ireland in their grouping, but they refused. They didn’t even acknowledge my letter. In the meantime, Michael Lowry rang me and offered me a place in his grouping. So I had no other choice but to go with it to get speaking time. I feel I am being muzzled.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Collins welcomed the ruling by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy that the Regional Group cannot form a Dáil technical group for the purposes of speaking rights, saying it was “the right decision,”
“The decision reaffirms the integrity of the parliamentary process and ensures that speaking rights in the Dáil are fairly allocated to genuine opposition voices,” Deputy Collins told the Roscommon People.
“This is the right decision and one that reinforces the fundamental principle that opposition speaking rights should be reserved for those who are genuinely in opposition. The attempt by government-aligned deputies to circumvent this was an insult to the opposition, and I would go so far as to say an insult to democracy and I welcome the fact that this has now been addressed. It was as simple case of these TDs wanting to have their cake and eat it, and it went against all logic, fairness and also public opinion.”
“This ruling ensures that the TDs who have consistently challenged Government policy will continue to have their rightful voice in the Dáil. I have always worked with true opposition voices to demand real change on key issues such as housing, healthcare, rural development, and the rising cost of living. This decision protects the integrity of that role,” the Independent Ireland leader added.