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Former Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has refused to rule out a return to politics. Ms Coughlan said in an interview with RTÉ’s Raidió na Gaeltachta that she has not closed the door completely to a return, but there is a need for fresh blood in the party. Ms Coughlan, who lost her seat in the General Election in 2011, said it was unfair to blame any one person for the decisions which ultimately lead to the country having to be bailed out by the EU/IMF. “There were lots of people involved. It's clear now that the Government didn't have all the information about the situation - in particular the state of the banks.” “Questions need to be answered. At the time we got advice from the Central Bank etc and we had no other choice.” She added that the Government had made the tough decisions at the time for the benefit of the State. “We did what we knew needed to be done, we knew we had to make those difficult decisions. We also understood the implications for the party, that we would lose seats....but we were doing the right thing for the State.' Ms Coughlan added that she had been targeted unfairly by the Irish media. “I was under huge pressure everywhere I went. It was herd mentality, and they took a lot of what I said out of context.”
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Éist: Labhair Aodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh le Adhmhaidin faoin agallamh Dé Máirt 10 Nollaig ag 11 am craolfaimid agallamh eisiach leis an Iar Thánaiste Máire Ní Chochlainn. San agallamh le hAodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh labhrann sí faoin gcinneadh a rinne an rialtas cabhar airgid a lorg ón EU/IMF, an ról a bhí aici féin sa phróiseas sin, an bealach ar chaith na meáin léi agus í mar Thánaiste, a cuid tuairimí faoi Thaoiseach agus rialtas reatha na tíre, agus iar Thaoisigh, agus a todhchaí sa saol polaitíochta. ‘Tuigim go bhfuil daoine ag iarraidh freagraí, ach níl an locht ar dhuine amháin – an lucht ar go leor leor daoine faoin méid a tharla. Tá sé soiléir anois nach raibh an méid eolais agus ba cheart a bheith ag an rialtas ag an am – go mór mhór staid na mbancanna. Tá ceisteanna le freagairt. Ag an am thug muid isteach daoine neamhspleách chun athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar na roghanna a rinne muid – Central Bank srl. Ní raibh ach rogha amháin againn.’ Ag labhairt di faoin ról a bhí aici siúd sa phróiseas, deir sí: ‘Bhí ceannaireacht ag an Taoiseach, ach bhí sé ag iarraidh go mbeadh deis ag achan nduine moltaí a dhéanamh agus go mbeadh díospóireacht mhór againn. An ról a bhí agamsa, mar nach raibh deis ag an Taoiseach agus an Aire Airgeadais casadh le achan nduine, éisteacht leis na hairí uilig céard a ba cheart dúinn a dhéanamh.’ ‘Bhí sé i gceist againn leanacht ar aghaidh mar bhí’s againn nach raibh aon duine eile ábalta na cinnithe deacra a thógáil– bhí fhios againn ag an am na himpleachtaí don pháirtí ... B’fhéidir go gcaillfeadh muid suíocháin, go gcaillfeadh muid fhéin suíocháin – ach ba é an rud ceart ar son an Stáit é.’ Beidh an t-agallamh a rinne Aodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh leis an Iar Thánaiste Máire Ní Chochlainn ag dul amach ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Dé Máirt 10 Nollaig 11 am. Listen: Aodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh talks about the interview on Adhmhaidin We will broadcast an in-depth interview with former Tánaiste Mary Coughlan on Tuesday 10 December at 11 am, her first since losing her seat in the General Election in 2011. In the far-ranging interview with Aodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh, she discusses the decision to seek a bailout from the EU/IMF, her own role in that process, her treatment at the hands of the press, her opinions of Taoisigh past and present, the work of the current government, and her future in politics. ‘We did what we knew needed to be done, we knew we had to make those difficult decisions. We also understood the implications for the party, that we would lose seats, including our own, but we were doing the right thing for the State.’ Aodh Máirtín Ó Fearraigh’s interview with Mary Coughlan will be broadcast on Tuesday 10 December 11 am.