Oliver O’Connor was a special adviser to Mary Harney as health minister until 2010. He then worked in the private sector. Within a short time he was all hugger-mugger again with former colleagues at the Department of Health, reveal documents released under FoI.
In September 2012, O’Connor emailed Ambrose McLoughlin, then secretary-general of the department, asking for an email or phone introduction to Andrew McCormick, a civil servant in Belfast. He wanted to meet him “to discuss areas of mutual interest” and “contribute to health policy development in Northern Ireland”.
McLoughlin replied: “Happy to do the introduction to Andrew. Draft me a letter.” So O’Connor wrote his own letter of introduction, outlining how he had made “a significant contribution” and been “instrumental” etc. Such is the old boys’ network in the Irish public service.
Bertie’s changing rooms
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A planning permission notice has appeared outside St Luke’s in Drumcondra, Bertie Ahern’s former den. The house was bought earlier this year by Ahern’s former secretary Gráinne Carruth and her husband. They paid €774,000, or about €180,000 more than Fianna Fail was asking.
The couple want to turn St Luke’s, an office with an upstairs bachelor pad, into a family home for themselves and their three children.
They want permission for a 12 sq metre extension on the first floor for a bedroom and en-suite.
There will also be new Velux windows and a chimney at the back. Bertie won’t know the place.
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A very Haughey Christmas
Death of a Son: The Killing of Michael Dwyer, a documentary shown by RTE Television last Monday, was billed as a personal journey by Caroline Dwyer, his mother, to find out why her son was shot dead by police in Bolivia in 2009.
She was not alone, however. Dublin PR outfit DHR Communications revealed that its managing director Catherine Heaney had been “travelling with and providing assistance to the Dwyer family over the past number of years”. Heaney featured in the programme, and was thanked in credits.
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Joan Burton, the Labour party leader, had a kind word for Charlie Haughey in the Dail last week. “Fair dues to Fianna Fail of former days,” said the social welfare minister, “and the late Mr Haughey who introduced the Christmas bonus, which as a child, I recall, was of great importance to my great aunts and uncles.”
Indeed, Haughey “looked after” various groups, such as the old folk, to whom he gave free travel and electricity. They thanked him with their votes. Burton can but dream of Labour ever enjoying such reciprocity.
•After Senator Averil Power’s break-up with Fianna Fail last May, there were mutterings about the €3,500 she raised at a party fundraiser some months earlier. Senator Thomas Byrne pointed out that “a lot of FF members” attended the event at Shelbourne Park greyhound stadium. Unabashed, Power went to the dogs again last Thursday for another fundraiser. This time the independent candidate in Dublin Bay North will definitely be able to keep the proceeds.
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•This week’s Man Whose Name Suits His Job is one Jake Freeman. The youngster came before the High Court last week, in an action against the governor of Wheatfield prison. Having been imprisoned for drugs offences, Freeman was demanding his freedom on the basis that proper procedures had not been followed. Judge Noonan agreed, and ended his judgment by pronouncing: “I must, therefore, order the release of the applicant.” We have visions of him racing down the steps of the courthouse shouting: “I’m a free man.”