Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

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.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
36 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Divils Avocado
    Favourite The Divils Avocado
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 6:24 AM

    No smoke without fire. An eradication of morale would fit with the recent reports on banning its members from partaking in a dance that every other emergency and voluntary rescue service in the country took part in. Publicising the organisation for all the wrong reasons. I don’t think I’d have much confidence in the management.

    91
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Corrigan
    Favourite David Corrigan
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 6:17 AM

    “The official ‘Great Place to Work’ survey, commissioned by the Irish Coast Guard…”

    One would have to wonder if there are any connections between management and the company behind their own survey.

    59
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anto Curran
    Favourite Anto Curran
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 6:56 AM

    @David Corrigan: wow that’s a fairly baseless accusation, one would have to wonder if there’s any connections between yourself and the unofficial survey that has no accountability or transparency (see I can do it too)

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Corrigan
    Favourite David Corrigan
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 7:02 AM

    @Anto Curran: Their own commissioned survey paints them in good light while the “unofficial” survey says that things are not so good within camp. Couple this to the fact that there is plenty of evidence of underhanded behaviour in this country means that there will always be suspicions around internally driven surveys.
    It’s not that hard to understand Anto is it?

    67
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Madra
    Favourite Madra
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 7:21 AM

    @David Corrigan: those ‘Great places to work’ are a joke. A company I worked for won it once. They had more staff out on mental health issues due to senior directors and bully boy tactics.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Corrigan
    Favourite David Corrigan
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 7:34 AM

    @Madra: Stone cold. There are a lot of people in this country who refuse to believe that kind of thing. It just couldn’t be true they say!!!

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Petulant mcbarity
    Favourite Petulant mcbarity
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 10:41 AM

    @David Corrigan: An unofficial survey might easily have a bias, being started by and forwarded to people with a grudge already.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute patrick boland
    Favourite patrick boland
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 12:48 PM

    @Madra: but it’s a great place to shop??

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fintan Keating
    Favourite Fintan Keating
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 8:30 AM

    Why use a picture of RNLI boat and crew? Very different organisations.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick McGuinness
    Favourite Mick McGuinness
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 6:40 AM

    How many people actually use or know about the Coast Guard. Very few I’d imagine they do a great job when needed.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute flexfinn
    Favourite flexfinn
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 7:15 AM

    @Mick McGuinness: tbh here, everybody knows how good a job the coast guard and their volunteers do and luckily not many need to use their services

    38
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat O'Leary
    Favourite Pat O'Leary
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 10:21 AM

    Just as an aside, any sign of the official report on R116 crash in March 2017 (that would be fully 4 years ago) ever being published?? Not aware of any equivalent accident where within a couple of days they had the wreckage + a rough idea of what had happened, yet four years on people still waiting for the official accident report.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gavin Tobin
    Favourite Gavin Tobin
    Report
    Mar 30th 2021, 10:17 AM

    Ask the right question, get the right answer?

    9
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds