Eoghan Dalton Reports from Killarney

THEY SAY THAT family is for life, but is Michael Healy-Rae starting to learn about the exception to the rule?

Amid the continuing fallout of his rift with his brother Danny, sparked by this year’s fuel protests, younger brother Michael was taking time this weekend to heap praise on the “good ministers” he served alongside in the government before his surprise resignation.

Michael reminded attendees about his short-lived stint in government at the annual conference for the haulage industry at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney on Friday night, praising the efforts of the coalition to bring those protests to an end.

Afterwards, he went a little step further, telling The Journal: “Sure they’re still my colleagues, and I’ll be blunt about it: they’re still my friends.”

We now know that his departure from the government wasn’t quite how it was portrayed at the time, coming instead after his brother Danny went on Radio Kerry during the fuel protests and criticised Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris.

Michael stood down from his junior ministry on the day that a no-confidence vote in the government was taking place.

But could there be a way back into government for Michael Healy-Rae? The man himself isn’t ruling anything in or out, but this weekend’s conference near his base in Kilgarvan allowed him to feel the love.

After his keynote speech, he was swamped with well-wishers.

Some major players in the sector shook his hand to thank him for his backing for the industry, but others brought up the very public falling out with Danny and its recent coverage in an RTÉ documentary.

One haulier who sympathised with Michael shared his own sibling difficulties, before praising the Kerry TD for the documentary.

“I have five brothers,” this man said, before pausing and eventually adding: “It can be difficult.”

In response, Healy-Rae avoided getting into detail and simply told this man that “it is what it is.”

It’s an undoubtedly awkward dispute as it blends the personal and the political, with Healy-Rae trying to avoid deviating from a script to play down media questions on Friday.

“I’m going forward in a straight line. I’ve no time for looking behind me,” he told The Journal.

‘Our government didn’t invade Iran’

While on stage, Michael had told hauliers that the government was getting unfair blame for the pressures around the sharply rising cost of fuel.

“To the best of my knowledge our government didn’t invade Iran. At the same time, our government did recognise that there was a serious problem to be dealt with,” he said.

He paid credit to president of the Irish Road Haulage Association Ger Hyland, before name-checking various ministers for the role they played in fuel negotiations.

This included Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien, Martin Heydon in agriculture, and various junior ministers, including Sean Canney, Noel Grealish and Timmy Dooley.

Michael Healy-Rae addressing hauliers in Killarney

Late on Friday night, The Journal caught up with the Independent deputy in a corner of the conference hall.

The speeches had ended and the late night entertainment was only starting, leaving us to shout questions at Healy-Rae and him shouting answers back as we strained to hear each other over ABBA.

Asked whether he might eye a way back into government when Simon Harris rotates back into the Taoiseach’s office, the Kerry TD said this was “different stuff for a different time”.

So we shouldn’t read too much into his fulsome praise of his old ministerial colleagues?

“If we had ministers that weren’t working or weren’t good, I wouldn’t be complimenting them,” he said.

“This government is investing more in our roads, which in a way, with regards to road safety, means better road surfaces.”

He next added:

Yes, they were my colleagues, but sure they’re still my colleagues, and I’ll be blunt about it: they’re still my friends.

If the family rift continues, Michael Healy Rae might find well see more favour in the benefits of friendship over family.