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Sean Canney

Sean Canney quits the Independent Alliance

He announced the move this morning.

Updated at 6.30pm

GALWAY EAST TD Sean Canney has this morning announced that he is leaving the Independent Alliance.

In a statement, Canney said that he informed his colleagues of his decision this morning and that he will still support the Government on budgetary matters.

He said: “I have today informed my Independent Alliance colleagues that I am leaving the group. I wish the Independent Alliance all the best in the future.

“I confirm that I will continue to support the Government on issues of confidence and budgetary matters.

“National issues such as Brexit are a threat to our country. I believe that we will need to work collectively to protect Ireland’s interests. Other areas of concern are housing, health services and flooding and the increasing challenges faced by small family farmers and rural dwellers.”

In a statement, the Independent Alliance said:

The Independent Alliance note the departure of Sean Canney from the group and we wish him well in the future.

Last week, it was reported that Canney and Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran had been having an argument about who gets to be minister.

In order for the Independent Alliance to go into government with Fine Gael, they had a wish-list of items they wanted before they signed on the dotted line.

This included that they would get a certain number of jobs. A deal was done over the role of the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, whereby it was decided the role would alternate between two members of the IA.

It’s understood the Canney and Boxer Moran flipped a coin to decide who would take up the first stint.

Canney was appointed to the role for the first year of the minority government and then Boxer Moran took over a year later.

A row developed over who would get the third year.

In an interview on the Today with Sean O’Rourke show on RTÉ Radio One, Canney said he ”didn’t feel comfortable there”.

Canney is still the Government assistant whip, and said it is the prerogative of the Taoiseach to decide whether he should remain in that position. Having met with the Taoiseach this week, Sean Canney told Sean that he wants to support the government,

“I went to the Taoiseach and told him that if I do leave, it doesn’t change my support for the government and my drive to make sure that the programme for government is put in place,” he added.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie in Cork today, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said Canney is “still very supportive of the government”.

“The issue that he has is really a matter for Sean and the Independent Alliance. I wouldn’t interfere in the inner workings of other parties. I would consider myself a good friend of Sean Canney, I would work very closely with him. I worked very closely with him during the programme for government negotiations,” said the Tánaiste, who added that he is confidence that Canney will continue to support the government as an independent.

Coveney denied that this is the first crack in the government.

“No, I don’t think so, this is very much an internal issue for them, it really is a matter for the Independent Alliance to manage that. My concern and responsibility is that Sean and the other independents that support the government are happy in that partnership,” he said.

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    Mute Féach News
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    May 4th 2018, 9:58 AM

    BREAKING NEWS: Sean Canney tosses coin to decide his future in Independent Alliance.

    246
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    Mute David Huston
    Favourite David Huston
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    May 4th 2018, 11:20 AM

    @Féach News: Election coming, must distance oneself from the Sene of the crime, abstaining is not the same as voting against

    68
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    Mute Charliegrl80
    Favourite Charliegrl80
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    May 4th 2018, 1:41 PM

    @David Huston: Michael Lowry TD stated on radio over a week ago we’ll have an election within six months before all the new s*crew ups happened! And the worst thing he left the alliance because of noting getting a change of guard for the role he thought he was getting. No fear of him leaving because of the cervical check scandal, that’s not important to them only who got the nod.

    40
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    Mute Bernard Kavanagh
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    May 4th 2018, 2:57 PM

    @Féach News: Maybe 30 pieces of silver.

    8
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    Mute Joe Burke
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    May 4th 2018, 4:16 PM

    @Féach News: independents a waste of space!

    7
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    May 4th 2018, 10:04 AM

    Earth shattering stuff. What will Ireland do now?

    151
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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    May 4th 2018, 11:32 AM

    @John Mulligan: build a bigger trough, perhaps?

    70
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    Mute Brian Deane
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    May 4th 2018, 12:23 PM

    @John Mulligan: An ‘Independent Alliance’ is a complete contradiction. Vote for some independent in Galway and who ends up representing you only the likes of Shane Ross and Zappo from Seattle! If it’s a political grouping like the ‘Independent Alliance’ then it can’t represent independents.

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    Mute Earth Traveller
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    May 4th 2018, 12:35 PM

    @Brian Deane: Independent = ‘separate and not connected’. Alliance = ‘formally united’. So Independent Alliance is an oxymoron with an emphasis on the ‘moron’ part of the word.

    32
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    Mute Shakka1244
    Favourite Shakka1244
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    May 4th 2018, 10:30 AM

    A Gnat flew over the meadow with much buzzing for so small a creature and settled on the tip of one of the horns of a Bull. After he had rested a short time, he made ready to fly away. But before he left he begged the Bull’s pardon for having used his horn for a resting place.

    “You must be very glad to have me go now,” he said.

    “It’s all the same to me,” replied the Bull. “I did not even know you were there.”

    155
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    Mute John Scott
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    May 4th 2018, 10:10 AM

    It’s my ball and I’m taking it home!

    124
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    Mute Tommy Griffin
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    May 5th 2018, 7:31 AM

    @John Scott: that was exactly what came into my mind

    1
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    Mute Patabake Kennedy
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    May 4th 2018, 9:59 AM

    Hurrah, we are sure going to see some positive changes in policy now. Oh wait.

    100
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    Mute Hans Vos
    Favourite Hans Vos
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    May 4th 2018, 10:38 AM

    So Boxer don’t keep the agreement. What’s new in politics.

    90
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    Mute Mark McDermott
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    May 4th 2018, 10:22 AM

    Flipping a coin for who does the role first, what the f### has this country become when this is how politicians decide things.

    142
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    Mute Brinster
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    May 4th 2018, 10:25 AM

    @Mark McDermott:

    Almost exactly 2 years ago.

    24
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    Mute Trevor Hayden
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    May 4th 2018, 10:26 AM

    Wow, I’m utterly blown away by this news.
    Oh well back to watching the paint dry on my walls.

    85
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    Mute Eamonn Skerrett
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    May 4th 2018, 10:53 AM

    I would think Boxer made his mind up for him after trying to take all the credit for the flood defences on RTE last night

    67
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    Mute andrew
    Favourite andrew
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    May 4th 2018, 11:24 AM

    @Eamonn Skerrett: yes. Saw that. Tosser Moron busy making himself seem like Noah

    63
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    Mute Martina Flynn Fitzgerald
    Favourite Martina Flynn Fitzgerald
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    May 4th 2018, 10:50 AM

    How am i going to get through this day?
    after hearing this tragic news!

    58
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    Mute kissmyarse
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    May 4th 2018, 11:58 AM

    @Martina Flynn Fitzgerald: say a decade of the rosary, and you be ok

    18
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    Mute Colm Mcmahon
    Favourite Colm Mcmahon
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    May 4th 2018, 11:20 AM

    He did his two years and is entitled to his over inflated pension now, so why bother sticking around……what a tosser and I am not speaking about the coin.

    48
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    Mute Tony Hogan
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    May 4th 2018, 10:24 AM

    Tossing a coin . He’s tossed his toys out of his pram

    48
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    Mute kissmyarse
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    May 4th 2018, 12:04 PM

    @Tony Hogan: Leo has been rolling him up and down the corridors of Leinster house in that pram shoving his doe doe in his mouth

    17
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    Mute colm mc sweeney
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    May 4th 2018, 10:54 AM

    Why didn’t he just go with the FG badge in the first place? He is FG in everything but name.

    55
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    Mute Rodney Williams
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    May 4th 2018, 1:06 PM

    Good man!
    Close the door on your way out

    19
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    Mute @mdmak33
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    May 4th 2018, 10:11 AM

    Brexit is important

    17
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    Mute Stiofán Na Mara
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    May 4th 2018, 11:26 AM

    I went to a Shannon flood relief public meeting last year and this idiot was one of the speakers.. he and ‘Boxer’ and a number of others didn’t have an ecological thought in their heads.. and we wonder why were in this global mess. Good riddance to all these old paradigm thinkers.. their idiots. There is a new consciousness and understanding emerging on how we go forward with economics, ecology, science and each other. Either go with it or remain regressive and destructive, which is what these morons are. Celebrating a dredging contractor that is contracted to the US milltary in Iraq and elsewhere is nothing to be proud of, neither is destroying the Shannons ecology. Short term, small minded idiotic thinking with not one iota of holistic vision for now or the longterm future.

    40
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    Mute Willy Malone
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    May 4th 2018, 11:36 AM

    Who tá fu(K cares. Staying at trough. Why not pull out and gain some respect…

    29
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    Mute Padraig Maloney
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    May 4th 2018, 11:40 AM

    “Séan Canney has decided to leave the Independent Alliance group” how wound we know?

    12
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    Mute Joseph Duggan
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    May 4th 2018, 12:59 PM

    Still chief whip how much is that worth vote fine gael money no morals

    13
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    May 4th 2018, 5:55 PM

    @Joseph Duggan: 15k pa.

    4
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    Mute Fergal McDonagh
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    May 4th 2018, 2:41 PM

    Wants to keep the 15k extra he receives as assistant whip. Zero morals.

    15
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    Mute Terry Cahill
    Favourite Terry Cahill
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    May 4th 2018, 12:05 PM

    Remember , be compassionate, somebody , like you and me , just ordinary people, is working themselves up into a tizzy over this. Your pity should know no bounds. do not mock the afflicted.

    7
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    Mute Adrian
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    May 4th 2018, 10:36 AM

    Shows just how stupidly lucrative being a politician in ireland is for these incompetent idiots.

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    Mute Anita Oman
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    May 5th 2018, 9:15 AM

    Thats a pity had many a good banter with Sean in OPW . A gentleman was very well liked he be missed wish him well.

    1
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