INDEPENDENT TDS MICHAEL Healy-Rae, Danny Healy-Rae, and Paul Gogarty have joined forces with Independent Ireland TDs to form an Independent Technical Group in the next Dáil.

The group will include Independent Ireland TDs Michael Collins, Michael Fitzmaurice, Richard O’Donoghue, and Ken O’Flynn, as well as Independents Paul Gogarty, Michael Healy-Rae, and Danny Healy-Rae.

Independent TDs often join technical groupings to increase their speaking time in the Dáil. Earlier this week, eight other Independent TDs formed the ‘Regional Group’.

The eight TDs that have signed up to the Regional Group are Sean Canney, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Kevin (‘Boxer’) Moran, Verona Murphy and Gillian Toole.

These groupings will likely now also play a role in terms of communications with larger parties about the prospect of independents propping up a government.

Leader of Independent Ireland, Michael Collins, said that the ‘Independent Technical Group’ is currently in discussions with other Independents who may join the grouping before the commencement of the next Dáil.

“By forming this technical group, we are ensuring that independent voices are amplified in the Dáil, and we can better advocate for the needs of the people we represent,” Collins said.

Michael and Danny Healy-Rae were previously in a separate technical grouping with Michael Collins – in 2020, they joined the ‘Rural Alliance Group’ with Carol Nolan and Mattie McGrath. 

Formerly Independents, Collins and Richard O’Donoghue co-founded Independent Ireland in 2023. The party has four elected TDs as of the recent general election, and an MEP in Ciaran Mullooly.

Independents have begun the process of registering for these technical groupings as it becomes increasingly likely that the government in the upcoming Dáil will be made up of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and a number of Independents to form a majority. 

Elsewhere, parties on the left have begun talks – but are split on whether or not they will completely rule out going into government. 

Fianna Fáil secured the largest number of seats of any party in this election with 48 candidates elected. Sinn Féin is the second largest on 39, and just one seat behind is Fine Gael on 38.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has consistently ruled out going into a coalition with Sinn Féin, citing irrevocable differences in the parties’ plans for government, particularly in relation to housing and public finances.