Tomás Ó Flatharta

Michael Lowry TD is currently in the news as he is the “point of contact” for the Beggar-Gombeen (BG) Regional Independent Group of Dáil deputies negotiating a coalition deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael (FFFG). One of Lowry’s BG colleagues, Verona Murphy, was elected Dáil Ceann Comhairle on December 18, paving the way for the creation of a coalition government bringing together FFFG and the BG’s in January 2025.

FFFG’s coalition options are narrowing, as the Labour party has confirmed it is unwilling to be a coalition mudguard.

Source :
The Labour party will not be a FFFG Mudguard – Ivana Bacik pulls out of coalition government talks

Lowry is a former Fine Gael Minister who had to resign in 1995 over his suspicious financial connections with wealthy business men Denis O’Brien, Ben Dunne, and others. He was marooned on the backbenches, for very good reasons.

The State’s Moriarty Tribunal investigated the finances of Lowry, former Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey, and many other establishment politicians.

The Moriarty Tribunal, officially called the Tribunal of Inquiry into certain Payments to Politicians and Related Matters, was an Irish Tribunal of Inquiry established in 1997 into the financial affairs of politicians Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry. It has revealed significant tax evasion by these and other politicians and leading businessmen. As a consequence, the tax authorities have recovered millions of euro in settlements and penalties from many individuals

Michael Lowry’s financial connections to Denis O’Brien (a wealthy businessman) who secured a pot of gold (a licence to set up a mobile phone network in Ireland) were thoroughly investigated. Here are the 2011 Moriarty Tribunal Conclusions :

Link
Moriarty Tribunal – Conclusions, Michael Lowry TD

Lowry has a strong racist CV.

“I am Not A Racist”…..But

Lowry is a well-dressed suit-and-tie racist (STR).

The trick is to oppose the housing of vulnerable immigrants in your own constituency.

Dishonest reasons are proposed : buildings should be used for something else : locals need a nursing home, a hotel…….anything but safe accommodation for immigrants. Arson and rioting drives immigrants onto the streets or sub-standard accommodation such as Crooksling in Dublin’s Clondalkin. But that is bad publicity for a STRs such as Lowry.

So, verbal gymnastics :

Ireland’s current immigartion policy is unfit for purpose and ‘ordinary people’ in communities around the country are angry, Deputy Michael Lowry told the Dáil.

“Taoiseach, recently in the Dail I addressed you in relation to the resentment that is simmering in towns and villages across Ireland. This genuine and heartfelt anger is not coming from organised groups such as we witnessed in Dublin last week, it is coming from ordinary people”, the Tipperary TD said on Tuesday addressing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister, Helen McEntee.

“People are filled with pent-up worry, fear and frustration at how their communities have changed due to the influx of International Protection applicants. It has reached a stage where people fear the Department will target every vacant building in their communities.

Source :
Modify and rebalance Ireland’s immigration policy – Michael Lowry

Conclusions

• Lowry “secured the winning” of the 1995 mobile licence for O’Brien.
• O’Brien made two payments to Lowry in 1996 and 1999 totalling IR£500,000 (£147,000 and £300,000) and supported a loan of £420,000 given to Lowry in 1999, a benefit equivalent to a payment.
• Lowry imparted substantive information to O’Brien which was “of significant value and assistance to him in securing the licence”.
• Lowry bypassed consideration by his Cabinet colleagues and thereby not only influenced, but delivered the result for Esat Digifone.
• A US$50,000 donation to Fine Gael was made through Telenor on behalf of Esat Digifone.
• Lowry sought to influence a hike in the lease for Marlborough House (Telecom Éireann headquarters) following a request from Mr Dunne. These rent increases would have improperly enriched Dunne, and were deemed to be “profoundly corrupt”.
• Lowry was criticised for his “cynical and venal abuse of office” and his brazen refusal to acknowledge the impropriety of his financial arrangements with O’Brien and Dunne.

Anti-racists conclude (correctly) that STR racism is racism.

So Michael Lowry offers statements that do not follow logically from his opening words : non-sequiturs.

“Irish people are not racist, I am not racist. People welcomed the victims of the war in Ukraine with open arms. They have willingly opened their hearts to those in need.

“But Taoiseach, I believe it is time to modify and rebalance our immigration policy”

People familiar with the career of the six-county racist rabble-rouser Ian Paisley know the pattern. Fire up racist mobs, stand back as the arsonists and racist mobs take direct action, deny responsibility.

The Racquet Hall premises in Roscrea Co. Tipperary hit the headlines in 2024 for many bad reasons – a racist mob attacked vulnerable people trying to enter a new Direct Provision Centre. Lowry fanned the flames win this Dáil speech addressed to then government minister Heather Humphreys :

“On four different occasions in the past year, I have raised the subject of immigration policy and lack of strategy. Each time I spoke in this Chamber I illustrated Roscrea as a classic example of a system that is not working.

“A town that was overburdened, overwhelmed and in urgent need of vital services to be improved and supplemented. This Government did not listen. You ignored the legitimate and genuine concerns of the people of Roscrea’ he said.

“The people of Roscrea are compassionate by nature. After assurances of enhanced support networks they accepted without protest a Direct Provision Centre with hundreds of asylum seekers and also a Centre to house 400 Ukrainian Refugees.

“The reality is that this influx accounts for up to 20% of the population of Roscrea. Therefore under any sensible, reasonable, logical or sustainable criteria you would have to conclude that Roscrea had exceeded it’s capacity.

“Roscrea is a traditional rural town. Roscrea is a friendly welcoming place. It’s people have shown great generosity and kindness. It’s a town with an excellent community spirit. A town that has coped with a lot of setbacks and adversity.

“A town that is fighting back through it’s community and voluntary leaders and organisations. I worked closely with these groups. A lot of positive things are happening in Roscrea. Projects have been sanctioned, which will bring enterprise, jobs and stimulate the local economy.

“You, as Minister under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, have sanctioned and funded crucial revitalisation projects. It is rather ironic that while your Department is assisting with the renewal of the town, another Department of State has taken the extraordinary decision to take over the only hotel in the town.

“How can it be acceptable for a Department to be complicit in such action?”, Deputy Lowry asked.

Source :
Roscrea Protest Shows Government is on the run with immigration – Michael Lowry

Will FFFG risk bringing Lowry into their new cabinet?

John Meehan December 19 2024