LAST UPDATE | 53 mins ago

MICHAEL HEALY-RAE has confirmed this morning that he will be a minister of state in the next government, but said it is for the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to decide which department. 

The Journal understands it is likely that it will be in the Department of Agriculture.

Independent Kerry TDs Danny and Michael Healy-Rae spoke to members of the press outside Leinster House this morning, stating that they are happy with the deal they have gotten as part of government formation talks.

“We will be helping the people of Kerry within Government,” Michael said. 

Asked if he was seeking the position within the Department of Agriculture, Michael Healy-Rae would not say. 

“Anything like that is a matter for the incoming Taoiseach.” 

Danny Healy-Rae said they want to “bring a common sense point of view into the government”.

Asked if they will be able to support government climate targets and plans to reduce emissions in the agriculture sector, Danny said: “There are differences about certain things but we have to take into consideration what we’re getting out versus what we’re not happy with.”

“The nonsense that went on in the last government, we won’t talk much about it but we want to get rid of that kind of stuff.”

Asked by The Journal what “stuff” he was referring to, Danny Healy-Rae said it would take “too long” to get into the “nonsense” that went on in the last government. 

Asked if they accept that emissions need to be reduced across sectors including agriculture and transport, Michael Healy-Rae responded: 

“The measures that are put in place are there as you know until 2030. They have been voted on and they have been agreed. So what’s in place is in place and everybody knows what that is.”

A draft programme for government will be published later today, following meetings of the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary party.

Negotiating teams hope to have the details ironed out this week to enable Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to be voted in as Taoiseach on 22 January, when the Dáil sits again.

Meanwhile, incoming Tánaiste Simon Harris is expected to take a beefed-up role as Foreign Affairs Minister, with trade being added on.

Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless is on his party’s negotiating team and he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland it’s his understanding that one of the Healy-Raes will become a junior minister.

The Healy Raes are not part of the Regional Independents, who are likely to be given two junior minister posts.

Speaking on the same programme, Fine Gael’s Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said there are “no agreements on a constituency basis”.  

But after his re-election in the general election late last year, Michael Healy-Rae said of any potential government formation talks: “First of all Kerry, and then policies, a programme for government.”

Includes reporting from Diarmuid Pepper