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The Candidate
The Explainer
4 Jun 2026
Michael Healy-Rae follows the Donald Trump playbook
00:00

When Michael Healy-Rae resigned as minister in April, he walked out of the Dáil, put his fist in the air outside the gates, and told reporters he was standing with the people of Kerry. This week, he told a different story, that it was his brother Danny's surprise interview calling on the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to resign that cost him his job. Two versions, two months apart... and Michael somehow making both of them work for him.


Christine Bohan, Christina Finn and Jane Matthews unpack the most public split in the Healy-Rae dynasty, and ask whether this is really about what happened in April, or about what comes next.


Also: consultants at the Rotunda are seeing private patients despite being on public-only contracts, and the government isn't happy.