Renua Ireland release stinging advert on FG links with Michael Lowry
By Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner Political Editor
Lucinda Creighton's Renua Ireland has today published the most negative advert of the General Election campaign so far, which focuses on Fine Gael's links with Independent TD Michael Lowry.
The hard-hitting video seeks to highlight Taoiseach Enda Kenny's repeated refusal to rule out doing a post-election deal with Mr Lowry until the party slumped in an opinion poll.
The two-minute video was produced by the party and marks a departure in tone in the campaign so far.
Released on the Vimeo platform, the online ad highlights the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal that Mr Lowry’s actions as Minister for Communications at the time of the granting of the second mobile phone licence were “insidious and disgraceful”.
The ad also contains a graphical representation of Mr Kenny’s recent interview with RTÉ’s This Week.
The Renua ad highlights he refused to rule out Michael Lowry in Government eight times during the course of the interview.
Controversially, the ad also includes a reference to what Renua claims is the ongoing relationship and contacts between Mr Kenny and businessman and media owner Denis O’Brien.
The title of the video is “Lucinda or Lowry?” Renua has said it is willing to join a coalition.
Fine Gael sources have made it very clear that they would not like to go into power with Ms Creighton as she and Mr Kenny have endured a rocky relationship and she has been a thorn in his side since he forced her resignation as a Fine Gael minister in 2013 for opposing the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.
