Coveney wants junior minister to stay, despite court judgement

A senior Fine Gael Minister says he is confident that Junior Minister John Perry will be able to remain on in his job despite a 2.47 million euro judgement against him and his wife in the commercial court yesterday.
The judgement related to a 2.42 million euro loan advanced to the couple by Danske Bank in October 2011.
It is speculated the judgement may put pressure on Minister Perry given his position as the Minister of State for Small Business.
The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney says he hopes that is not the case.
“I think he can relate to a lot of small business because he’s a small business person himself, and he understands the pressures of the last number of years on lots and lots of business people and lots of families” he said.
“My view on John is that he’s done a really, really good job as a minister for responsibility of small business and I’m confident he’ll be able to stay in that position” he added.