From defiance to departure: 45 hours that changed everything for Michael Healy-Rae

A sudden reversal, internal pressure and local politics combined to trigger a dramatic exit that caught Government off guard

Brothers and Independent TDs for Kerry Michael Healy Rae and Danny Healy Rae in Dáil Éireann on April 9 2024 after the nomination of Simon Harris as then taoiseach. Picture: Maxwell's 

Michael Healy-Rae spoke directly to the camera, his signature flat cap perched atop his head, his dark jacket with luminous green stripes still on.

It was 7.30pm on Sunday evening, and the Independent Kerry TD had been locked in negotiations all weekend on what would become the €505m package of measures to combat the rising cost of fuel.

As a plant hire owner and operator, the minister of state at the Department of Agriculture would have known many of the people on the frontline protesting.

Michael Healy-Rae took to Facebook on Sunday to declare his support for the Government's €505m package (which he had helped negotiate) to tackle the fuel cost crisis. Less than two days later he voted against the Government and resigned his junior ministry. Pictures: Facebook

But, as a confidence motion in the Government loomed, Michael Healy-Rae said he was not going anywhere.

In the Facebook video, he said the people of Kerry had encouraged him to go into Government.

“I’ll tell you who I’m going to vote confidence in,” he said.

“I’m going to vote confidence in myself, because I’m confident of the work that I’m doing for people in Kerry.

“I’m going to do that from within Government, from the position that I am in.”

 

Support to resignation in less than two days

Just under 45 hours later, at 4pm on Tuesday, he went into the Dáil chamber and announced that he was voting no confidence in the Government and resigning his junior ministry.

The anguish on his face was clear. He looked like a man who had not slept.

He told the Dáil he had seen “grown men crying inside in the Plough Bar” in Kerry, and had met “tractormen, lorrymen, and farmers” unhappy with the Taoiseach.

Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae telling the media outside Leinster House on Tuesday he would vote against the Government and resign his junior agriculture ministry. See Louise Burne's video below. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

It was clear this was deeper than his role in Government.

It was about his beloved Kerry and a bid to protect the Healy-Rae dynasty, which continues to build in the Kingdom.

What happened in the space of those 45 hours caused mass confusion in Government.

The announcement took the Government by surprise.

Not only did his colleagues in the Department of Agriculture not know, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris were also completely unaware.

Chief whip Mary Butler only became aware of his intentions after Fianna Fáil backbencher Shay Brennan looked over Healy-Rae’s shoulder and saw his handwritten speech on the desk in front of him. Attempts by the Chief Whip to change his mind were unsuccessful. He was gone.

Danny Healy-Rae on Radio Kerry

And it appears that the wheels may have been in motion since as early as Monday morning.

With the confidence vote looming, his brother Danny Healy-Rae went on Radio Kerry and was evasive on whether he would be backing the Government.

He would make his decision on Tuesday, he said, following consultations with his supporters and team.

Danny Healy-Rae branded the Taoiseach “arrogant”, calling for a change of leadership in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

Read More about #Fuel Prices

The comments put Michael Healy-Rae in a difficult position.

While he had gotten the ministry during the government formation talks in January 2025, he had gone into those negotiations with his brother.

Calls from the Irish Examiner to Michael Healy-Rae and his team throughout Monday could not confirm his position.

At the same time, emails being sent to constituents or those querying Michael Healy-Rae’s intentions suggested he was backing his Government.

He said that, if a general election were “triggered tomorrow”, none of the measures agreed upon that weekend would be implemented.

“I will continue to use my position to push for further supports where they are needed, and to ensure that the voices of people like yourself are heard loud and clear at the Cabinet table,” the email said.

The wheels truly started to fall off the wagon on Tuesday morning.

The Irish Examiner understands that media suggestions that Michael Healy-Rae’s ministry could be at risk if his brother voted no confidence began to cause concern.

Seán Canney, the leader of the Regional Independents in Government, went to the Taoiseach to seek assurances that this would not be the case.

No assurance was given.

“The deal was one minister, two votes,” one senior Fianna Fáil minister later said.

“We could not give Danny carte blanche.”

Several government sources told the Irish Examiner that Fianna Fáil was more stringent on the “one ministry, two votes” deal than Fine Gael.

One Fine Gael minister said their party would not have pushed for this agreement to be implemented if Danny Healy-Rae had gone overboard.

“It would have been better to have one than to lose both of them,” they said.

Other ministers were nonchalant about the Healy-Rae departure.

“Good riddance,” one said.

They admitted that while the Government majority had taken a hit, it would help the cohesion of the coalition.

“They were always half out,” they added.

Read More about #The Healy-Raes

Others in Government disputed that. They noted Mr Healy-Rae had been working hard in forestry and had achieved a lot. They never got the impression that he was not in it for the long haul.

As the dust settles on his departure, the coalition is trying to move on with business as usual.

While it is still unclear what will happen with his former junior ministry, there is one thing most in Government do know.

Next time Michael Healy-Rae posts a video on Facebook, he is unlikely to be praising the Government.

• Louise Burne, Political Correspondent