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LAST UPDATE | 19 Feb 2020
KERRY TDS MICHAEL and Danny Healy Rae met with Sinn Féin today in the latest round of government formation talks since the general election.
Speaking to reporters at Leinster House today, Michael Healy Rae said they had a good meeting with Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Matt Carty, but said questions remained about the costings of some of the promises in their manifesto.
“A lot of the Sinn Féin policies, they sound fine, but it’s who pays for it, where does the money come from? These are very clear questions… what we were trying to do today was get down to the nitty-gritty of it and ask how exactly it will be financed, where will the money come from, there is no such thing as a free lunch,” he said.
He said these were complicated questions that needed answers, stating that they would meet with Sinn Féin again.
“We got a lot of answers but we have a lot more questions that need to be answered and we are hoping for questions to be answered in the coming weeks,” he added.
Danny Healy-Rae said he felt assured Sinn Fein was interested in rural Ireland and the issues that concern them.
“They appear to be very interested in rural Ireland and got a lot of deputies elected in rural Ireland but there is still a lot of talking to be done and we have a lot of problems to do with Kerry that we would like looked after,” he said.
When asked if either wanted a ministerial role in the next government, Michael Healy Rae said all they want is the “betterment of the people of Kerry”.
“We are looking for absolutely nothing for the Healy Raes,” he added.
Michael Healy Rae added that the next government need to “learn from mistakes of past” stating that people felt left behind by those in power the last nine years.
“We want politicians and ministers in the future who will be able to concentrate their minds on the task in hand and not be away with the fairies,” he said, stating that some ministers had “lost touch with reality”.
On the issue of the election of the next Ceann Comhairle, Danny Healy Rae said he will be voting for Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl for the job “full stop”, stating that he is experienced in the role.
The two brothers were also asked if there would be a repeat of the 2016 scenes on the first day of the Dáil sitting, where the Healy Raes held a min-concert outside the gates of Leinster House.
Neither of the Kerry TD could rule out such festivities taking place tomorrow.
Earlier today, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty has said his party is intensifying its discussions with parties and Independents today around forming a government for change.
Over the next day, Doherty and the party’s negotiating team will meet with the Green Party, the Social Democrats, Solidarity-People Before Profit, the Labour Party, Independents4Change, the Rural Independents Group, as well as other Independents.
Doherty hit out against Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael today for refusing to engage with Sinn Féin, stating that he was fed up with the “shadow-boxing” by the two parties.
“The people want politicians that have been elected to get on with dealing with serious issues.
“It is not good enough to sit on the sidelines and refuse to engage,” he told reporters.
He said the party is already in the process of putting together the arrangements for a special Ard Fheis should it be needed to ratify any possible programme for government.
Meanwhile, Richard Boyd Barrett and Mick Barry and Paul Murphy of Solidarity-People Before Profit have said they are willing to vote for Mary Lou McDonald, “on the condition that our support is used to attempt to assemble a left minority government, and not to facilitate a return to power of either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael”.
“A genuinely Left Government will need to introduce Left policies such as building 100,000 social and affordable homes within 3 years; introducing a National Health Service bill as an immediate goal and increasing the national minimum wage to €15 an hour this year. These necessities can never be delivered in any government containing Fianna Fáil and/or Fine Gael and so we call on Sinn Féin to rule out categorically any such coalition, which unfortunately they haven’t yet done,” said Mick Barry.
While parties on the Left continue to discuss government formation, Fianna Fáil is due to hold its second parliamentary party meeting at 6pm today.
Ahead of tonight’s meeting, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he will appoint his party’s government formation negotiating team. He said he had written to Mary Lou McDonald to explain why he believed that a coalition between Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin would not be the right thing to do.
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This is officially the darkest timeline
@A2 Poster: I agree. God help us all.
@A2 Poster: Shinners and the Raes. Christ this is a horror show.
@A2 Poster: It’s like an episode of Black Mirror
@Handsome McWonderful: lol / release the robotic killer dogs /
@A2 Poster: their voters like them..
@Matthew O’Kane: and that’s a scary thought.
@Tommy C: would be better than Mehole and Leo the liar
@2thFairy:
Here I made this for you,
https://imgflip.com/i/3pnqt3
@A2 Poster: you do know they’ve given confidence and supply to 2 FF governments already. The hypocrisy here is astounding.
@Peter McGlynn: tis the lord above that decides theese things…begorrah
@Peter McGlynn: what 2 FF governments? Danny was only elected in 2016 for the first time.
@A2 Poster: you obviously were born after 2011.
@Handsome McWonderful: Lol!.. we’ve been in one for the last hundred years.
@A2 Poster: should we start growing our evil beards?
@Peter McGlynn: “ do you known they’ve given confidence and supply to 2 FF governments already “ …”hypocrisy” ,”obviously born after ….”
Peter, engage the brain and get your facts in order
Michael Healy Rae has been a TD since 2011. The brother 2016 . FG were in power since
You are waffling about their father , Jackie . Same but different . Both men you referred to didn’t have that power to vote
Ah here, SF are walking on dangerous ground now. If they are willing to talk to literally everyone, including the brothers from deliverance, then clearly they willing to abandon any and all election promises in order to be in government.
@Nicky O’Donnell: that deliverance comment is very unfair – all kinds of images in my head now -ill not eat bacon for tea tonight
@Nicky O’Donnell: i think we had deliverance in the last government.
@Nicky O’Donnell: It’s their democratic duty to explore ways in which we can have a fully functioning government. That said, Danny Healy-Rae ? I’d appoint him as Minister of Justice and Equality, just for the craic.
@Tommy Roche: Minister for transport surely?
@Terrence Edwards: As Minister for Transport he’d have to change the laws around drink driving. As Justice minister he could just order the Gardai to turn a blind eye. Keep it simple, it’s the Kerry way, boi.
@Tommy Roche: Danny as minister for the environment and Michael minister for transport and Mary Lou Taoiseach = Larry Curley and Moe come to mind
@Tommy Roche: What is “Democratic Duty” exactly? That’s a new one on me. I don’t think such a concept exists. The bottom line is If you are a party that will happily form a government with people from both extremes of the political spectrum, then you really don’t have much in the way of principles. At a time when climate change is an important issue on the minds of most of the electorate, they’re now talking to two climate change deniers who believe “Only God controls the weather”.
@Nicky O’Donnell: forming government with elected representatives is what its supposed to be about surely? I dont like the healy-raes but theyre voted in by massive numbers generally and you cant ignore an elected official just because you dont like them. If we all did that nobody would work.
@Nicky O’Donnell: ohhh so the fact SF is trying to form a government and are talking to TDs that recieved s huge mandate in this election means they are about to abandon their policies? Jesus some people will say anything as long as its anti SF.
@Paul Power: more Brokeback mountain than Deliverance between Mehole & Leo
@Nicky O’Donnell: this is the best comment Iv seen in a long time .
To think we laughed and mocked the Americans with Trump and the U.K. with Boris.
@2thFairy: So you were fine with Leo and the Posh boys were you?
@David Garland: Yes
@David Garland: “posh boys”, will you listen to your yourself… Sure wasn’t Mary Lou brought up in Rathgar, sent to a private fee-paying school at Notre Dame in Churchtown, then sent to Trinity College? Pretty damn posh if you ask me,
@A2 Poster: not forgetting that she also sends her children to “posh” fee paying schools.
@A2 Poster: and Eoin O Broin went to Blackrock College, a ‘posh’ private school and Queens University Belfast. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
@A2 Poster: Likely better educated than yourself so
@David Garland: you think it’s bad now David. Wait abit and see how worse it will get
@A2 Poster: a failed Fianna Failer who turned to Sinn fein when she realised that the castlekock brethren weren’t going to ditch the lenihan group and give her a nomination.
Yes, Mary Lou can easily adapt to the healy raes.
@Bitcoin Buddy II: How rude
@David Garland: your so witty not !
It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back.
We are only in the Ha’penny place
It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back.
We are only in the Ha’penny place
It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back.
We are only in the Ha’penny place
@2thF
At the National Newspapers of Ireland’s Journalism Awards. It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. Only limited information was available as to how the calls were made. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back.
@2thFairy:
At the National Newspapers of Ireland’s Journalism Awards. It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. limited information as to how the calls were made. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back. Ref Wikipedia
@2thFairy:
At the National Newspapers of Ireland’s Journalism Awards. It was revealed that Healy-Rae had received 3,636 votes, from a phone in Leinster House, at a cost of €2,600 to the Irish taxpayer, the premium-rate calls being charged on a tariff designed to raise money for charity. limited information as to how the calls were made. Speculation that an automated dialler had been employed was discounted by the Irish Independent, which suggested they were made over 31 hours using “redial”. The Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett, described it as “an outrageous abuse of facilities”, while the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said the money spent on the calls should be paid back. On 29 June 2011, Healy-Rae said that while he was not involved in the calls, he would pay the money back. Ref Wikipedia
I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation, all the intellect of a muppet show cast!
@Paul Murphy: would be good to eavesdrop alright. Unfair that intellect comment especially when you dig deeper into the Kerry boys kingdom. They know how to play to their own crowd and us and poor Greta
The unspeakables in discussion with the unintelligibles. You couldn’t make it up. I’ll put mt money on the Kerry lads over the D14 girl anytime.
@Paul Murphy: don’t underestimate the Healy-Raes, especially Michael, they run a very effective political machine down in Kerry and know how to deliver for their constituents.
Good on them. There’s no harm talking, and it’s the Democratic thing to do
@The Risen: seriously…???? If you have any idea about politics, and I think you do, you and the dogs in the street know that this is crazy, desperate and dangerous. There are some conversations that don’t need to take place if you know your stuff and this is one of them. Nothing to do with democracy.
@The Risen: Can this coalition form a gov without a majority? Would a minority gov need to pass a vote from all tds?
@2thFairy: FG have had no issues dealing with Michael Lowry who’s been proven to be a corrupt politician. The nature of politics in Ireland is local and in that regard the Healy Raes and Michael Collins are successful in their jobs. This is democracy at work, just because someone has a thick country doesn’t mean they couldn’t do a better job than varadkar or murphy.
@Tjamr: this is not democracy. It’s desperation. The HRs are the comic relief of Irish politics. Putting them in charge of running a country is a whole other nightmare.
@The Risen: now I know this risen troll account is definitely a pisstake
@Tjamr: it has nothing to do with where they’re from, it’s what they stand for. And saying it’s ok cause the others do it too is rubbish. Aren’t SF suppose to be different?
@Tjamr: ahhh come on now. Maybe god will sort it out for them. These guys have no interest in national politics and any agreement to go into coalition will first and foremost benefit Kerry and not the rest of the country. I know that exists already with the current alliances but these guys bring Parish pump to a whole new pumping station level.
@2thFairy: Compared to the marvellous job done by FG and FF. And as for comic relief do you not remember some of the great jokes told by the housing minister and the health minister.. oh no that wasn’t funny it was fantasy.
@Tjamr: but at least they did not say god would solve anything.
@2thFairy: the Healy Raes are no fools. They won’t be swindled into any impossible deal. They are querying the figures just as competently as anyone else and they won’t back losers.
@The Risen: there you are again on your coffee break
Danny for minister for the environment. Be a bit of craic anyway
@Brian Dunne: HOW DARE YOU
@Brian Dunne: love if they did.
Danny doesnt believe in climate change, but he wont upset an environment where there are fairys. Mary Lou believes in fairy tales,,,, actually this could work!
So Mary Lou is going to sit down with the two guys who have the biggest 2 property portfolios in the Dail. The one with the hat is the biggest landlord, with a personal fortune of 5.4 million euro and 15 buildings broken into private rental & the eejit (far from it) with the beatd is worth about 4 million and about 8 last counting buildings broken up for private rental… well done Mary…… You go in with them you can eff of.
@Paul O’Sullivan: But they never murdered, kneecapped, kidnapped or robbed banks!
@Paul O’Sullivan: Mary Lou has a fine property herself, so don’t expect any dramatic changes in that area.
@John Mc Donagh: I’m sure they could learn, if that was the price of getting a ministry in the new revolutionary guard.
Just to let you all know the Dep of Education scrapped Civic Social and Political Education as an exam subject for the Junior Cert. Its basically to save them money. The subject isn’t taught properly in schools and often not at all because lots of teachers see it as a doss subject and let kids do homework in the class instead. I should know I’m a History/CSPE teacher who gets laughed at when I tell people what I teach. When young people grow up with no level of knowledge about basic politics in their own country and how it works, in turn you get a general election result like the one we just had.
@John Caplis: What would you have taught them different? How would it have affected the result?
@Ciaran Moore: I’m not sure if he had taught them differently it would have affected the result, probably not. BUT there were a lot of people on here before the election, ignorant as to how the system works. And I dont mean ignorant in the rude sense, they just didnt properly understand how we vote. There are anecdotal stories (I’m not sure I believe them) about younger voters wondering why Mary Lou wasn’t on their ballot papers, seeming to think we had an american style voting system. So, a little education goes a long way.
@John Caplis: Completely agree – CSPE or something similar should be a mandatory subject in school, basic political/life knowledge is much more worthwhile than learning your An Mo Coinníollach!
@Connoroconner: check this out – people were asking at different polling stations ‘how come Mary Lou isn’t on my polling card’ or ‘how come I can’t vote for Mary Lou’ – god almighty!!
@Ciaran Moore: I would encourage them (if they’re interested) to always be wary of voting for a brand/image and instead educate themselves on the history/policies of a party. A lot of kids sing Come Out Ye Black And Tans and Wolf Tone songs that romanticise IRA violence/atrocities during the Troubles, without truly understanding the history behind them.
Instead I just encourage them to research the facts and then decide for themselves
@Dave Lynch: I’ve heard that said and referred to it in my comment, I wonder if it’s really true though? In fairness, the SF vote transferred pretty well to candidates of the left after all?
@John Caplis: couldn’t agree more. Imagine the impact of €15 an hour on the local economy, the only place to have a shop would be Dublin. It’s just a pity that personal financial planning isn’t brought into the education system
Increase min wage to €15 this year and build 100,000 houses in 3 years?? Look in the mirror with shame if you voted for these half wits.
@roberto Mankini: We built more than that amount for 12 years straight in the 90s-00s, while you’re on about half wits…
@roberto Mankini: at least they’ll be spending the taxpayers money properly not lining there pockets with it
@Margaret Kane: where?
@Margaret Kane: yes, like when they continued to take a taxpayer funded salary from the Northern Assembly for a number of years while it was suspended? Don’t kid yourself Margaret, they’re no different in that respect to other parties.
@Connoroconner: I think anyone looking for FFFG in government for the next five years are fooling themselves and deserve what they get
@roberto Mankini: FFs plan is to build 200,000 houses!
@Nuala Mc Namara: SF will be building 100,000 houses in Tralee if they partner with the fairy believers.
@The Risen: and then the local council sold them all to the tenants for next to nothing, who then turfed their family out to look for another house whilst they sold them for a fine profit and moved to the suburbs. Why don’t we just start that cycle again.
@Margaret Kane: so it’s ok for SF to line their pockets because basically, they’re not FFG? I see what you’re saying now.
The road to Kilgrvan will be paved with gold
@Tim: Tim , I would go further , I’m guessing it will be upgraded to a motorway leading all the way to Kilgarvan via Killarney …
Up the RAes.
@Pat Casey: Sinn Féin/Healy Rae
Tweed caps to be made mandatory dress in the Dail.
@Gerard Martin: A part of me wants to scream when I see a grown man wearing a flat cap indoors.
@Marcus Mac An Bhaird: he’ll look great in a black beret.
Nice combo. Climate change deniers and IRA atrocity deniers. Sure keep singing rebel songs and twil be grand! God help us all!
Great, Kerry be getting a monorail, an international airport and a tunnel to NewYork by the time the talks are done.
Will the fairies be invited? Maybe SF can stop the fairies from damaging the roads.
I can see it now – legal drink driving if you live in kerry
Will it be dingle or tralee that they will demand become the capital of Ireland
Stop the planet and let me off
They’re going to need a universal translator
@J: it’s comments like this that make Kerry people give a massive vote to the HRs.
@J: sometimes when Coveney speaks we could do with one.
People voted for change not climate change deniers and pro drink driving advocates.
Lou & Looper
So even the Healy Raes can see that Sinn Féin’s policies are have no economic merit. That saying something.
Omg the Healy Raes! Give me strength, do they really have a position in politics in 2020? These guys don’t have the wherewithal to think beyond the few surrounding fields they root from. If change is on the table, these are not your guys, If Sinn Fein needs to chat to the Healy raes about anything it’s a poor sign of what’s to come.
@Melina Roberts: the”surrounding fields”? How about the whole of Kerry?
A particularly terrifying headline.
The Healy Raes are good for their locality, they’ll do no harm. The same cannot be said for Sinn Fein.
I personally do not want the Healy -Raes in government . It’s embarrassing enough that they are in the Dail .
The whiff of leather seats from the ministerial cars has gotten to them.
The problem with Socialism is you eventually run out of other peoples money …… M Thatcher
Politicians are all the same no matter who gets in
Pbp on a hiding to nothing with this approach. Of course sf will offer them what they want. The ‘reunification project’ uses whatever means necessary to achieve its ends. If the quid pro quo was to be pbp in housing or social welfare with changes to take effect immediately i wonder how keen sf would be then. I voted pbp. But sf will make short work of them if they continue with this approach
@alan: and right too.
@alan: that’s an interesting take on it.
@Jane: for me, the best position for pbp to take is to continue building, improve dail performances in opposition and link with sympathetic groups outside the dail, nationally and locally. it has been shown to work. they dont need sf or the larger context in which sf are operating.
Is Shane Ross still looking to go to North Korea to talk missiles LOL
@Keith O Hanlon: can you imagine Shane sitting down with Kim talking about missiles ffs.. It’d be like Simon Harris and Danny healy sitting down in a pub in kerry drinking pints
Clearly, addition was never a strong point with either mary lou or the healy caps.
Shows you how bonkers Sinn Fein’s economic manifesto is when it doesn’t fool Danny Healy Rea.
Interesting to see what they could possibly agree on
Isn’t it amazing who gets into bed with who just for recognition.
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch” WELL THE Healy RAES and the rest of the bleeders in the Dail have had plenty of Free Lunches off the backs of the tax payer. They are terrified of change for fear that the full extent of their corruption will be exposed.
We could afford (be made to) pay billions for a bank bailout but we cannot afford spending on much needed services and infrastructure.
This is a master stroke by Mary Lou and Pearse Doherty , with this announcement that they sitting down with Mattie McGrath & the Healy-Raes , this is the fastest way to flush the Reada Cronin story out of the news cycle..
Sinn Fein have learned well from Donald Trump’s playbook …..feed the Media new Shark bait …..
Michael & Leo hope you are paying attention … because FF and FG could learn a lot …….
It only becomes an issue if she actually has to promise to build a motorway all the way to Kilgarvan via Carrick-an-suir & Clonmel….. not likely but perhaps it will give the Soc Dems and PBP the proverbial kick in the ass they need also..
Sinn Fein should be very careful they don’t end up with Michael as Taoiseach and Danny as Tànaiste. The lads will run rings around the representatives of the politburo.
The lunatics are taking over the asylum. I’m sorry but…..
@Catherine Gaffney: they’ve been there for years.
The Healy Raes have been getting fired lunch for years. Sure don’t they own the chipper van’s in Kerry?
They want to bring in “big dinner” driving laws.
Well that’s the country F oo k ed then. The Healy-Raes are amadáns.
Vote for Change? The Raes are more Fianna Fail than Fianna Fail. Free GP services and 100,000 affordable houses for Tralee will be their opening pitch.
Past a joke, we can’t let the lunatics, take over the asylum. No government is far better than this.
‘Mon Mary Lou!
Good
If these pair of clowns hold the balance of power in gov then we are no longer allowed to pass judgement on the Boris or Donald
@Derek Lyster: nah, we’ve already jumped that shark.
That’s mad because you and your brother have been having free lunches on the Tax payers for a very long time
It’s well known they were in bed with FF before a vote was cast!
All the amazing key board politicians here writing shit amuse me
Having to stitch together 44 votes to gain a ‘leftist’ majority of 1 in the Dàil ?.
Suicide as Irelands 17 billionaires will take it in turns to easily buy off your majority and FFG will vote in block against everything you propose and then claim you can’t govern.
A Healy-Rae had something come out of his mouth that wasn’t completely bonkers? =o
We must be in the end times indeed!
Let’s government sorted.
It’s usually the other way around
Healey rays want nó change as they would be in bracket for higher tax
Looks like a bunch of politicians don’t want to pay for another campaign
bahahaha
Do the people not remember FF. Destroying the country and then FG . destroying the lives of the people with their cuts and more taxes .
Tanstaafl
‘He fixed the road’
Internet gone mat for me
Internet gone mat for me
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