Hard for 85-year-old mother
“NO I don’t feel bitter about what’s happened but I do feel bitterly disappointed,” Willie O’Dea told the Limerick Post in an interview, as he faced into the first week back in the Dail without his ministerial portfolio. Have recent events made him disillusioned with the body politic?
“Elements of the media don’t like me…I did become disillusioned that the criticism became so savage. It’s like they want to blacken your character and still keep kicking you – it’s extraordinary”.
Without the characteristic keen edge to his voice, the former Minister for Defence sounded deflated, tired and emotional, after the rollercoaster of Dail drama, media scrutiny and the trauma of being left with no other acceptable option than to resign.
Could he ever foresee himself in another cabinet ministry at some time in the future?
“The future is another country,” was the bleak reply that encapsulated the isolation of O’Dea, the man acknowledged up to now as the most popular and hardworking politician in Limerick.
“In the scale of things, there were worse things I could have done – but I did pass on gossip that I had not checked out properly. But I think the punishment is a bit harsh – I’ve paid out big money, lost my job, my name has been rubbished in some elements of the media and the toll on my wife and family is terrible. My mother is 85 and I know how hard this is for her”.
Referring to his family caused the emotion to surface and it probably came as a welcome relief when a pressing interruption meant we had to put the interview on hold for half an hour.
During that time news of the controversy surrounding the Green Party’s Trevor Sargent had just surfaced, but beyond acknowledging the development, Mr O’Dea did not comment further.
Could he see himself facing into another challenge outside of the world of politics?
“Yes, that’s possible and since resigning as Minister for Defence, I’ve already had an offer of two directorships”.
Reminding him that shortly before he was appointed Minister for Defence he had told this reporter that if given a preference he would opt for the Finance portfolio, and was it true that the Taoiseach had assigned him to assist in that Department, in view of the health issues facing the Minister for Finance, O’Dea replied in the affirmative and that he had been eager to do so.
Have events damaged his friendship with Taoiseach, Brian Cowen?
“I’m still friendly with Brian – he had no other course, but I know he was not happy about me having to resign”.
Reminded that he is still a TD with a huge following of supporters and voters who gave him unprecedented numbers of first preference votes, he concluded:
“Yes, I can take pride in that and always, rather than mixing with the rich and powerful I’ve preferred to fraternise with the poor and those who need help. I’ve been heartened and encouraged by the huge amount of support I’ve received from the people of Limerick- I’ve been inundated with text messages, phone calls etc, telling me they want me to recover from this ordeal and go forward”.
