Healy-Raes reportedly at odds over decision to exit Coalition
Former minister of State Michael Healy-Rae has been absent from the Dáil all week after his shock resignation from Government and following a rift with brother Danny.
His absence come as his local newspaper Kerry’s Eye reported this week that a bitter row has erupted between Michael and Danny, his fellow Independent TD for Kerry, over the decision to exit the Government.
The Healy-Raes signed up to support the Government in a pact that included both of their votes in exchange for a junior ministry in the Department of Agriculture for Michael and a Government seat on the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee for Danny.
Michael Healy-Rae & Danny Healy-Rae. Pic: Gareth Chaney Collins
However, as the fuel protests raged last week, pressure mounted on the rural TDs to stand with the protesters and walk away from the Government.
Michael was part of the negotiating team that formulated the €505million support package for the agriculture sector, but less than 48 hours later, he made his shock resignation from the Coalition ahead of a confidence motion on the Government.
Extra.ie understands that Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s chief of staff Deirdre Gillane contacted Jackie Healy-Rae – Michael’s son and his adviser in Government – in advance of the vote to inform him that the ‘two-for-one’ deal would have to be upheld.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
While negotiations involving the Taoiseach’s office were ongoing, the Regional Independents were also part of the talks, but Tánaiste Simon Harris was not made aware of them.
Michael Healy-Rae has publicly claimed that he quit the Coalition because of the Government’s response to the fuel crisis, which sparked nationwide protests last week.
In an emotional speech in the Dáil, the Kerry TD claimed the sight of grown men crying over the cost of diesel left him with no choice but to leave the Government.
Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
However, senior figures in the coalition told Extra.ie that it was made clear to Michael that he could not remain in Government if his older brother Danny voted against the Coalition.
On Sunday, the day before Ms Gillane delivered the ultimatum on behalf of the Taoiseach, Michael Healy-Rae posted a video in which he confirmed he would support the Government.
However, he subsequently dramatically resigned in the Dáil chamber on Tuesday, before strongly criticising the Taoiseach and voting no confidence alongside his brother.
Pic: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
A senior Fine Gael figure told the MoS: ‘If you were being really, really technical about it and factual, the deal was always two [Healy-Rae] votes for one ministry. That was it, the HealyRaes said: “We’re bringing two votes.” But none of this was done in writing, even the deal with [Michael] Lowry.’
Fine Gael figures said the Taoiseach should have recognised the ‘realpolitik’ surrounding the intense pressure the Healy-Raes, themselves agricultural contractors, were coming under from their political base over the fuel crisis.
Kerry’s Eye reported that the fallout has led to ‘war’ between the two HealyRae camps and that the existing election pacts between the two could come to an end.
In addition to Michael losing his ministry, his son Cllr Jackie Healy-Rae also lost his role as his special adviser. Michael has not been seen in the Dáil this week in the aftermath of his resignation and Kerry’s Eye reported that he cancelled the majority of his engagements and clinics for the week.
He did not reply to a request for comment from Extra.ie day. Danny, however, told Extra.ie that relations between him and his brother were ‘the same as always’ and that he had ‘no comment to make’ about the report in Kerry’s Eye.
Meanwhile, the Oireachtas will allocate a new Dáil seat for Michael, with sources saying he has not requested to sit in a specific section of the chamber.
TDs who are not aligned to political parties form technical groups to secure speaking time in the Dáil, or else are left with little opportunity to speak on key times in the chamber.
However, Extra.ie understands that no discussions have taken place regarding speaking time following the Healy-Raes’ exit from the Government.
Kerry’s Eye reported that on Monday ‘tensions were palpable’ at a Kerry County Council meeting including three Healy-Rae councillors: Danny’s children Danny and Maura, sitting alongside Jackie, Michael’s son.
The paper reported that one councillor said: ‘You could feel the tension inside the council chamber, we all could. Not a word, not a look at each other.
‘It’s absolutely horrible between them. Whatever differences the Healy-Rae brothers and their families may have had in the past, it’s definitely over between them now.’
