Healy-Rae hands over council seat to son

THE father figure might be retiring from local politics, but the Healy-Rae dynasty lives on.

After serving for 30 years on Kerry County Council, Jackie Healy-Rae handed over his seat to his son Danny Healy-Rae

yesterday. However, there were strong indications the 72-year-old colourful TD may seek re-election to the council in the future. Mr Healy-Rae was first elected in the Killarney Electoral Area in 1974, after being co-opted in 1973, topping the poll on his first outing as a Fianna Fáil councillor. In 1999, as an Independent, he topped the poll again, 1,200 votes clear of the quota and of his nearest rival, Cllr Tom Fleming (FF).