FINE Gael has overturned its decision to expel the founding member of its first Northern Ireland branch for promoting his father's general election campaign.

The decision comes after criticism from one of its own ministers of Fine Gael’s decision to expel Jude Perry, who founded a Fine Gael branch in Queen’s University Belfast last year.

A Fine Gael source confirmed on Monday that the decision had been rescinded and Mr Perry has been reinstated as a member.

However Mr Perry said there are still unanswered questions over his sudden expulsion last week. He called for an apology from Fine Gael and an independent inquiry into the matter.

In a statement to Independent.ie, Mr Perry said the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had contacted him on Sunday night to inform him that his membership and his mother Marie's had been reinstated.

He said he would now consider this but added that there are a number of "substantial questions" over the manner in which he was abruptly expelled. Mr Perry said he also wants a public apology from Fine Gael and the party figure who informed him of his expulsion last week.

He also said that Fine Gael needs to appoint a person independent of the party to conduct an inquiry into the matter to ensure "no similar expulsion without a hearing can ever happen again".

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Mr Perry (21) was informed via text last week that his membership had ceased after it was discovered he paid less than €100 for a handful of Facebook ads to promote his father, former Fine Gael minister John Perry, in his Dáil bid.

On Wednesday, I was expelled from @FineGael by a text message. No written notice, no proper reason or evidence provided and no fair hearing.



Where is the professionalism and common decency. When we are trying to attract young people into politics, why have I been targeted? pic.twitter.com/YkReVgZfSV — Jude Perry (@judeperry98) January 25, 2020

Mr Perry is running as an Independent candidate in Sligo-Leitrim.

Fine Gael stood over the decision last week, with a party spokesman saying: "It is incompatible with membership of Fine Gael to be actively engaged in a campaign for another political party or Independent."

However, on Sunday Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said it was a “silly” decision and that Jude Perry was “very welcome back into our party”.

A Fine Gael source confirmed on Monday: “The decision to expel Jude Perry has been rescinded. All these matters will be examined after the general election.”

Mr Perry said he also wants a public apology from the Taoiseach, Fine Gael and the party figure who informed him of his expulsion last week "for the substantial reputational damage extraordinary stress and upset, experienced by both me and my mum as a result of this stressful unnecessary event. At a time when I am on a study exchange in Washington DC, apart from my family."

Online Editors