Sean Canney considering his future in Independent Alliance

Galway East TD Sean Canney is expected to clarify his future with the Independent Alliance on Tuesday following his failure last week to be reinstated as a Minister of State.

Mr Canney is thought to be on the verge of leaving the five-member Alliance following the decision by his colleagues last Thursday that Kevin 'Boxer' Moran should remain as junior minister with responsibility for the OPW.

In an arrangement that was brokered after the general election in 2016, it was agreed that Mr Canney and Mr Moran would rotate the ministry. Mr Canney was minister for the first year, after which Mr Moran took over the position.

However, when the second anniversary of the Government approached Mr Canney argued to the Alliance that the position should rotate back to him. The other members of the Alliance backed Mr Moran’s argument that given the uncertainty about the longevity of the Government, the understanding had always been that there be one arrangement.

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The Alliance was scheduled to meet on Tuesday but that meeting has been postponed until Thursday in anticipation of an announcement by the Tuam based deputy.

The Independent Alliance, in addition to two other independents, Minister for Children Katherine Zappone and Minister for Communications Denis Naughten, bring the number of TDs supporting the Fine Gael minority Government to 57.

If Mr Canney were to leave the Alliance, it is understood that he would support the Government on a case-by-case basis.

The Galway East Deputy could not be contacted for comment on Monday night.