Pressure on Enda Kenny for rural incentives

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is coming under pressure to offer fresh rural Ireland investments to shore up Independent support after initial discussions with unaligned TDs.

The Fine Gael leader has been told the issue is key for the Independent Alliance, the Healy-Rae brothers and others after meetings and phone calls over the past 24 hours and before others occur this weekend.

Speaking as Health Minister Leo Varadkar insisted Mr Kenny “doesn’t need to look over his shoulder” and controversial Independent TD Michael Lowry said “I won’t need my arm twisted” to give support if asked, the Taoiseach attempted to make up lost ground on Fianna Fáil in the race to control the Dáil.

However, having only started his search yesterday for non-Fine Gael help to win next Thursday’s taoiseach nomination — five days after Micheál Martin began making calls — Mr Kenny is under pressure to receive the vital backing to not lose the first stage of a lengthy battle with the opposition party.

In a 90-minute meeting at Leinster House yesterday morning after a bruising seven-hour discussion with Fine Gael TDs the day before, Mr Kenny sought out the help of the six-TD Independent Alliance.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Alliance TDs Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, and John Halligan said the meeting focussed specifically on the group’s 10-point charter for change.

The document emphasises the need for the next government to prioritise ending cronyism, Dáil reform, keeping Ireland in the EU, broadband, and post office and garda station improvements for rural Ireland.

“It’s simply a matter of who takes the charter the most seriously,” they said after confirming the Taoiseach will respond early next week and that the alliance is due to speak with Mr Martin.

The alliance is also planning to speak to Cork South West TD Michael Collins, Clare-based Dr Michael Harty and the Healy-Rae brothers this weekend to further increase its numbers and therefore put extra pressure on Mr Kenny to meet their demands.

Michael Healy-Rae told reporters yesterday he and his brother Danny believe “there should be a minister sitting at the cabinet table with a responsibility for rural affairs” and that they will side with whoever best reflects their needs.

Separately, controversial Independent TD Michael Lowry told the Irish Examiner last night that while he has yet to receive any calls “I won’t need my arm twisted” to give support.

“This is the time for everybody to put the country’s interests first, before party or personal,” he said.

As the race for Dáil support continued yesterday, Fine Gael was still trying to come to terms with its own post-election difficulties.

The party will set up an independent investigation of what went wrong in its campaign on Wednesday, before a separate meeting with its 38 unsuccessful candidates later this month.