Healy-Rae blasts Taoiseach: 'The best he could do was celebrate the Black and Tans'

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae called on Micheál Martin “to grasp the nettle” and force a General Election, adding it should be the Fianna Fáil leader and the Rural Independent Group who put forward the motion of no-confidence in Health Minister Simon Harris.

Mr Healy-Rae compared the Government to a car with no brakes and four bald tyres rolling down a hill. “This Government’s race is finally ran.”

The Kerry TD went on to describe the health service as “a shambles” requiring “a root and branch approach.”

Simon Harris should be ashamed of his tenure as Minister for Health, he said.

Of course we should have a general election, this Government has gone by its sell by date.

Mr Healy-Rae said he did not have confidence in the Minister for Health, the Minister for Housing or the Taoiseach.

The best he (Taoiseach) could do was come out and celebrate the Black and Tans. He did a U-turn then when he saw the backlash.

“The issue is that people want an election and they want it now. Let’s have it, let the people have their say.”

Mr Healy-Rae's brother Danny, also a Kerry TD, supports the motion of no-confidence and also had sharp criticism for the Government.

"Time is clearly up for this Government as they have left the people down badly especially Minister Simon Harris in Health, Minister Eoghan Murphy in Housing and Minister Shane Ross along with the Government have done more harm to the people of rural Ireland than any previous Government."