Cork South West Senator Denis O’Donovan has rejoined the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party. Senator O’Donovan had lost the party whip last June in a dispute over rural pursuits, however those issues were subsequently addressed in the Dáil and Senator O’Donovan is now back in the Fianna Fáil fold.
“I’m delighted to once again be a full member of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party,” said Senator O’Donovan. “This has been a very difficult period for me, my family and supporters. Everyone knows how important Fianna Fáil is to me and how much I believe in the aims of the party and the principles the party was founded on.”
“A lot of the local grassroots members in Cork South West have been anxious for me to come back into the party and it was a great relief when I had the opportunity to discuss this issue with the Taoiseach and the Government Chief Whip recently and to put the matter to bed. The reason I was forced to leave the party in the first place was unfortunate at the time and thankfully those matters have since been addressed in the Dáil. There was no reason for me to remain outside of the parliamentary party and I’m delighted that problem has now been put behind us.”
“I have always said that it is a lot easier to get things done from within the fold than outside it. I have a stronger voice as a full member of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and I will use that to press for the people of Cork South West on a range of topics, including fishing, farming, tourism and in particular the continued support for the Cork/ Swansea ferry. I have always been a strong advocate for rural planning and I will use my platform in the parliamentary party to continue to fight for this issue,” Senator O’Donovan concluded.
Senator O’Donovan has been a member of Seanad Éireann from 1989 to 1993, 1997 to 2002 and from 2007 to date. He was a TD for Cork South West from 2002 to 2007. He was also Chairman for the Oireachtas Committee on Judge Curtain and he was also Chairman of the All Party Committee on the Constitution. He was also elected to Cork County Council in 1985 in the Bantry Electoral Area and remained a councillor until the introduction of the dual mandate in 2003.
