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LAST UPDATE | 24 mins ago
DANNY HEALY-RAE has rejected Minister Norma Foley’s assertion that he may have had an influence on his brother Micheal’s vote of no confidence in the government yesterday.
The Independent TD spoke at length about yesterday’s vote of confidence in the government on Radio Kerry this morning.
The Government survived a motion of no confidence by 92 votes to 78 despite the loss of Junior Minister Michael Healy-Rae, who told the Dáil yesterday he is to quit his ministerial role at the Department of Agriculture.
Earlier on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Minister for Children Norma Foley said she was “surprised” by Michael Healy-Rae’s shock resignation from Government and that “it would have been helpful to know in advance”.
Asked if Michael Healy-Rae had been told he would lose his role in Government if his brother voted against the coalition, Foley noted that an arrangement had been made that the Healy-Raes would support Government and “that didn’t materialise yesterday”.
Both brothers are now back on the opposition benches.
The two were part of Government formation talks in January 2025, with Michael securing a junior minister role following those talks.
Speaking to Kerry Today with Jerry O’Sullivan, Danny Healy-Rae outlined several government actions he was unhappy with, such as rent reforms and the two fuel support packages.
“They’re [government] interfering with people’s democratic rights,” the Kerry TD said.
He outlined his unhappiness with the handling of the fuel protests, singling out Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the days-long protest blockading the oil refinery in Whitegate in Co Cork, which he said was outside the Taoiseach’s door.
“He could have gone down and talked to them and tell them that he’d go back to the Cabinet table and see if he could do better. But he wouldn’t even do that,” Healy-Rae said.
Asked about his brother Micheal resigning his position in the Department of Agriculture, Danny said, “I didn’t influence him one way or the other”.
“Whatever discussions that were had behind closed doors I’m leaving in there.”
Healy-Rae said his brother Micheal “gave his own reasons” and added: “We couldn’t influence government and do the things that we wanted him to do, and we weren’t happy”.
He said the “small things” they asked for, like for the inclusion of four protest leaders in a meeting held at the height of the protests, were ignored.
While Foley told RTÉ she was “surprised” by Michael Healy-Rae’s shock resignation, she said she has “no quibbles” with the Healy-Raes.
However, she noted that an arrangement had been made that the Healy-Raes would support Government and “that didn’t materialise”, with both voting against the Government in the confidence motion.
“It is common knowledge that they made a deal where they said their word is their bond, there would be two Healy-Raes supporting government, and I think it would have been difficult for them to have one supporting and one not supporting.”
Foley, who is now the only minister from Kerry, remarked that Government “never likes to see anybody walk away”.
She added: “We’re all very conscious that we’re in a time of global crisis, global turmoil.
“It’s at times like these that the country needs steady, secure, stable government.”
Foley said she was “surprised” by Michael Healy-Rae’s decision and added: “24 hours earlier, Michael put out a video where he had said he endorses the package, that he would be voting confidence in the government.
“So I am surprised that he did what he did, but Michael and Danny have to do what they have to do, but government has to lead and provide steady leadership.”
Foley said that to her knowledge, no one knew in advance of Michael Healy-Rae’s decision to resign.
Meanwhile, Foley said she expected the minister of state role vacated by Michael Healy-Rae will be filled.
When asked if Michael Healy-Rae would be replaced as a junior minister or if the number of junior ministerial positions would be brought down, Foley said there’s a “there’s a vacancy in the Department of Agriculture and I imagine that will be filled”.
Elsewhere, Killarney councillor Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan told RTÉ that there was a lot of “pressure” on Michael Healy-Rae to resign from Government.
O’Callaghan said Healy-Rae attended a local meeting on Saturday that was due to take an hour but ended up lasting seven hours.
“Supporters of his basically wanted him to pull away from the Government, and he has to listen to the people that voted him in.”
Meanwhile, O’Callaghan said Kerry is “worse off” for Healy-Rae not being in Government.
“I go back to the football analogy, it’s like having a star corner forward and putting him in corner back.”
Danny Healy-Rae told Radio Kerry that both he and Micheal would continue to serve Kerry from opposition benches.
-With additional reporting from Emma Hickey
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