Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said it is his understanding that three TDs linked to Independent Ministers would support the Government on more than a “case by case basis”.
The Taoiseach was responding to a report in The Irish Times that figures at a senior level in Government were questioning the size of their majority after letters from three TDs during the Dáil speaking rights row suggested they could not be considered Government backbenchers.
“That’s not our understanding,” Mr Martin said in response to a question about the suggestion that the support was on a case-by-case basis. “The votes so far have been quite strong in favour of the Government, which I think is positive.
“My objective has been to create a government that can go five years. I believe governments that last five years give stability. We want five budgets.
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“I believe there’s a genuine desire among Independents to enable it, to facilitate that. And we intend to work constructively with all Independents, but particularly those Independents in the Regional Independent Group who gave a commitment to support the Government.”
Two of the three – Dublin Bay North’s Barry Heneghan and Meath East’s Gillian Toole – were part of the Regional Independent Group led by Michael Lowry, while a third, Kerry’s Danny Healy-Rae, negotiated alongside his brother Michael Healy-Rae, who became a junior Minister in the Coalition Government.
The Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy, who was herself part of the negotiating bloc under Mr Lowry, ended the Dáil impasse by declaring that backbench members of the group would not be allowed Opposition privileges.
Mr Martin said he had tried to build a significant majority to provide stability, highlighting his previous decision to support a Fine Gael government in confidence and supply “for the benefit of the country because of Brexit”.
“Interestingly, given what some Opposition parties are saying now, that wouldn’t have been possible now, if you were to take the Sinn Féin mantra that you can’t be in opposition and government at the same time. I would have preferred a better debate on all of that.”
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