Elaine Loughlin: Independents' freewheeling nature makes them unpredictable partners

Independents have given FF and FG a path to power but some are untested politically while others have courted controversy and caused headaches for previous administrations

Regional Independent TDs Gillian Toole, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan, Marian Harkin, and Sean Canney speaking to the media at Leinster House after they finalised a government formation agreement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

With 48 soldiers of destiny, 38 blueshirts, seven regionals, two Kerrymen, and a bonus Ceann Comhairle position, the new Government has been formed.

Independents have facilitated a path to power for the two main political parties, but their individualist, freewheeling nature makes them unpredictable, a trait that no government leader wants to see among the ranks.

Doing a deal with the magnificent seven is a risk, considering some of those who have agreed to prop up the coalition are untested politically, while others have courted controversy and caused more than a few headaches for previous administrations.

And yet a deal has been done with “a broad range of characters, to say the least,” as Barry Heneghan described his own Regional Group and the Healy-Rae brothers.

Brothers and Kerry TDs Danny Healy Rae and Michael Healy Rae also reached a deal with FF and FG, with a junior ministerial position for Michael in a department yet to be decided. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were in reality left with no other option after Labour, the preferred partner, and the Social Democrats began making less than enthusiastic noises about the prospect of entering a coalition.

Canney and Moran return

The deal sees the return of former Independent Alliance colleagues Seán Canney and Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, who last time around tossed a coin to decide which one would take the position in the Office of Public Works (OPW) first.

Two years later, the novel method of making ministerial appointments resulted in internal bickering and a series of crisis meetings to resolve a spat between both men.

Canney held the post for the first year while Moran took over for the second year. It had been thought the coalition’s lifetime might not last this long and so no agreement was made about what would happen after Moran’s term was up. In the end, Boxer won the fight and was allowed to remain on for the duration of the term.

It was a distraction that consumed the coalition at a time when stability was required and speaks to the unpredictability of Independents and the unorthodox approach they often take.

In 2020, when Moran lost his seat after a term in government, he laid the blame squarely on the voters of Longford-Westmeath.

“The people have spoken today and they’ve let me down and I haven’t let them down over the last four years. I’ve worked extremely hard. But time and reflection, I’ll take some time off, take the boat out of the shed and do some fishing and enjoy life,” he said at the time.

Cabinet appointments

One of the key responsibilities and privileges of the taoiseach of the day is to select and appoint the Cabinet and group of junior ministers.

In one of their first acts as soon-to-be members of government, the Regional Independents took it upon themselves to make the announcement.

Noel Grealish will sit at Cabinet as a super junior minister, Canney will also take up a super junior role the Department of Transport, with responsibility for roads and rail networks. Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin has got a junior ministry role in the Department of Higher Education, while ‘Boxer’ Moran will take up his old position in the OPW.

The eagerness to share information could be a sign of things to come.

To ensure that the quotes provided to journalists were actually uttered, it was often joked that during the 2016 coalition Finian McGrath would try to shoehorn a speaking point or topic into the weekly Government meetings through ‘AOB’, a facility that does not exist on the Cabinet agenda.

McGrath may no longer officially be a member of the Dáil, but his protégé, 26-year-old Barry Heneghan, was front and centre in fighting for many of the same constituency issues as his mentor during the negotiations.

Michael Lowry

Michael Lowry, flanked by fellow Regional Independents Noel Grealish and Barry Heneghan, hit out at the media who, he said, are 'over-consumed by the Moriarty Tribunal'. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Then there is the issue of Michael Lowry, the man who led negotiations on behalf of the Independents in recent weeks.

After announcing the Regional Independents ministerial line-up he accused the media of being “over consumed” by the Moriarty Tribunal.

“Let me say that I enjoy the confidence of my group, and I also enjoy the confidence of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste in the negotiations that I had because, unlike you, they respected the mandate that I have from the people,” he said.

“Unfortunately if it doesn’t please some of you [media], that’s your problem, not mine.”