Michael Fitzmaurice defecting from Independent Alliance

Independent TD for Galway Roscommon Michael Fitzmaurice TD has announced that he is leaving the Independent Alliance.

Mr Fitzmaurice was the only member of the grouping not to support Enda Kenny’s nomination for Taoiseach.

“I have given my future as a member of the Independent Alliance serious consideration over the last number of weeks and have had no choice but to leave the grouping. As a member of the grouping, being the only member in Opposition, I would not be allowed to have leaders’ questions or priority questions and access to speaking time would be very limited,” he said.

Mr Fitzmaurice said he would not be able to represent his constituents in Dáil Éireann under the restrictions.

“Having worked to help formulate the programme for government I intend to support the Government on votes which I feel will benefit society at large and oppose them on votes which I feel are not in the interests of the people,” he said.

Technical group

Mr Fitzmaurice said new rules on how the Dáil will operate will be published on Thursday and will detail how speaking time will be allocated.

He said he will join a technical group in the coming days in order to get adequate speaking time in the Dáil.

“I hope that by working with people inside and outside of government I can continue to make a constructive contribution to Dáil business and deliver for my region.”

“It has become very clear to me in recent days, considering the criticism directed at some government TD’s for expressing their opinions, that until the issues surrounding turf cutting are resolved and ordinary people are no longer criminalised for exercising their rights, that I could not be member of any government,” he said.

The Independent Alliance was formed last March by independent politicians Shane Ross and Michael Fitzmaurice.

Mr Ross was recently appointed Minister for Transport.