Heneghan votes against Government on €400 emergency payment for people with disabilities

Barry Heneghan, a Government-supporting independent TD, has voted against the Government and backed the motion by the Social Democrats

Independent TD Barry Heneghan at Leinster House in Dublin

A Government supporting independent TD has voted against the Government and backed a proposal to give people with disabilities a €400 emergency payment.

Barry Heneghan, independent TD for Dublin Bay North, backed the Social Democrats' motion and voted against the Government.

Despite Taoiseach Micheál Martin repeatedly saying there was no “Heneghan deal”, the TD was involved in Government negotiation talks and has praised several Government announcements for his constituency.

The Social Democrats’ motion accused the Government of reducing income for disabled people by €1,400 a year and called for it to pay those in receipt of disability payments an emergency €400 winter payment.

The Government opposed the motion.

In the Dáil on Wednesday morning, social protection minister Dara Calleary said the Government was “clear” there would be no one-off payments in the budget and that it was moving towards more permanent payments.

When the Social Democrats’ motion was voted upon on Wednesday evening, Mr Heneghan voted against the Government’s amendment to the motion, and in line with Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, Labour, and other independents.

This is not the first time Mr Heneghan has voted against the Government. Last June, he and fellow independent Gillian Toole voted in line with Sinn Féin, backing the party's legislation seeking to prohibit the Central Bank from dealing in Israeli government bonds.