LAST UPDATE | 10 Apr 2025

TAOISEACH MICHÉAL MARTIN has pushed back on claims made by Independent TD Barry Heneghan and his adviser, former TD Finian McGrath, about a deal secured as part of government formation talks. 

The Taoiseach said McGrath, a former Minister for Disabilities, would “have form in the odd bout of hyperbole”.

In a press release issued yesterday, Heneghan, the first time TD for Dublin Bay North, welcomed additional funding for Beaumont Hospital. 

Referring to McGrath as an adviser to Heneghan, the press release quoted him as saying: “It is great to see the ‘HENEGHAN DEAL’ coming to fruition, long may it continue”.

Asked about the claim today of a ‘Heneghan deal’, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said “there is no constituency deal”. 

“There is no ‘Heneghan deal’. To be fair to Finian, he would have form in the odd bout of hyperbole,” the Taoiseach said. 

He continued: “But the bottom line is, are you seriously suggesting investment in A&E in Beaumont Hospital constitutes some part of a deal?

“I mean, that is on track, you don’t get announcements like that in a capital program unless there’s a lot of preparatory work in advance in respect of the design and so on.”

Asked if it is fair for Deputy Heneghan to claim the investment announcement as a victory, the Taoiseach said: “I think he has prioritised it, it’s not part of any deal but he has obviously prioritised that and I’d say he welcomes the fact it is now happening.”

The government has repeatedly denied that there were any specific deals done with members of the Regional Independents as part of government formation talks earlier this year. 

With reporting from Keith Kelly.