Kerry TDs mixed on taking council coalition national

Kerry is already experiencing a historic Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition — the two parties have united on Kerry County Council and now support each other.

Tue, 01 Mar, 2016 - 00:00

Anne Lucey

The current mayor of Kerry is now Fine Gael, with support from Fianna Fáil.

John Brassil, the newly elected Fianna Fáil TD, was mayor of Kerry last year, with support from Fine Gael councillors.

He said that on the canvass trail there was little appetite for a coalition between the two parties.

“In the canvass there would have been no desire from the Fianna Fáil grassroots, there would have been no support to enter into coalition with Fine Gael,” he said.

However, there were mixed messages from the election vote.

“Would they expect us to do nothing either? The answer would be ‘no’,” said Mr Brassil.

“We have to do the job. Every party has a responsibility to negotiate.”

Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin said it is time for reflection.

“People are mentally and physically exhausted. They should not be making rash decisions. There was a very strong message for both Fine Gael and Labour at the weekend. The country has to be put first. We are in uncharted waters.”

The word ‘coalition’ might not be the right one, he suggested. “The last thing we want is a government where anyone can hold it to ransom on any issue. There must be a bit of soul searching. No one should be in a rush. We have until March 10.

“As for the two Independents who are part of the Fianna Fáil gene pool, the Healy-Raes, they too would be responsible, but all arrangements with them would be from the point of view of Kerry.”

Michael and Danny Healy-Rae, from the village of Kilgarvan, are the youngest and eldest sons of the late Jackie Healy-Rae, whose support for Fianna Fáil on his election as an Independent in 1997 netted bridges, roundabouts, and roads resurfacing for the then Kerry South constituency.

There is every possibility of a return to those days if the brothers are called on, according to Michael Healy-Rae. “Our job and our responsibility is to answer any call that comes from anybody. But any political decision we would take in the future would always first of all be in the best interest of the people of the great county of Kerry,” he said yesterday.