Alliance ‘did not block’ Halligan’s Late Late Show appearance

The decision by Independent Minister of State John Halligan to withdraw from an appearance as a guest on RTÉ's Late Late Show was "absolutely 100 per cent" his own, a party colleague said on Saturday.

Mr Halligan had featured in an RTÉ press release for the show stating the Minister would outline "how far he is willing to go as the stand-off between him and his partners in Government".

However, on Thursday morning Mr Halligan contacted RTÉ to say he had decided not to take part.

Mr Halligan's future in Government appeared in the balance last week over a dispute about health facilities in the southeast and severe criticisms he made about Fine Gael Ministers and Independent Alliance colleagues in an interview with the Sunday Independent. Mr Halligan has since decided to remain in Government.

His Independent Alliance colleague Finian McGrath told the Claire Byrne show on RTÉ Radio One on Saturday no one from the party had sought to dissuade Mr Halligan from going on the TV chat show.

Asked if he or others in the party had sought to influence Mr Halligan in relation to the appearance, Mr McGrath replied: “Absolutely no. We were talking to John a number of times during week. We told John the Independent Alliance was totally united behind him in relation to health services in Waterford.”

“We encouraged him to stay in and stick with the programme for government and we will deliver in the end in terms of developing our health service in places like Waterford and Beaumont hospital”.

Mr McGrath said the decision in relation to the Late Late Show was “absolutely 100 per cent” taken by Mr Halligan, and Mr McGrath added his colleague was “very busy in his constituency last night in Waterford”.

Asked if Mr Halligan’s comments had caused tensions in the party, Mr McGrath replied: “There was a lot said in the heat of battle. We have all dealt with this issue internally and the Independent Alliance is united around implementing the programme for Government.”

Mr McGrath added that Mr Halligan had apologised directly to Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran for critical comments about him in the newspaper interview.