The Coalition suffered its first major defection when Independent Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae resigned before voting no confidence in the Government and sharply criticising Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
As the Government sought stability after a bruising week, Kerry TD Healy-Rae blindsided the Coalition with his resignation announcement during a debate on a confidence motion in the Government, going on to vote against his former colleagues. The Government won the vote by 92 votes to 78.
In the run-up to the vote, expectations in Government were that Healy-Rae’s brother and fellow Kerry TD Danny would be more likely to vote against the Government, but in the minutes leading up to the vote it emerged Michael was about to resign his ministerial position and vote against the Coalition.
Despite last-minute efforts to sway Healy-Rae by chief whip Mary Butler in the Dáil chamber, he indicated his resignation and charged the Government with having “let the people down”.
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Nobody has a right to appoint themselves as the voice of the people and to threaten the jobs and livelihoods of many thousands of families
Neither Taoiseach Micheál Martin nor Tánaiste Simon Harris was aware of his intentions, and when Healy-Rae arrived to Martin’s office to deliver his letter of resignation, the Taoiseach was on a phone call with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.
Speaking outside Leinster House afterwards, the former minister of state said he had spoken with constituents who told him that “the Government had lost its way, they weren’t listening”.
There was much speculation that the Kerry TD had been left with little option but to resign in the likely event of his brother voting against the Government in a confidence motion. However, Healy-Rae said he was “absolutely not” bounced into the decision by his brother.
Government spokespersons and some Coalition sources acknowledged the blow but sought to project confidence after the resignation, pointing to the substantial margin of victory in the vote.
A Cabinet minister said the Government had suffered ‘massive damage’ in the last week
Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry, around whom Independents supporting the Government have coalesced, also signalled ongoing support for the Government.
However, there was pessimism among some Ministers and backbenchers, speaking privately on Tuesday evening.
One Fianna Fáil backbencher spoke of “despair” in the party, criticising not only the Government and Taoiseach’s handling of the crisis, but also the scale of its first cost-of-living intervention in March, and of last year’s budget that had left people more exposed to a price shock following the war in Iran.
A Minister said the Government had suffered “massive damage” in the last week, and that the Healy-Rae resignation compounded things, although they said it was likely to happen at some point.
“The Government ship has been holed, definitely. It’s just a question of how much water it’s going to take on board.”
While there was criticism of Martin from within his own party, there was no immediate sense that a heave was in the offing.
Divisions were also evident among the opposition. There were angry exchanges during the debate between Labour and Social Democrat TDs and Independent Ireland deputies, with Independent Ireland TDs accused of barracking women Government deputies. There were also barbed exchanges between Sinn Féin and Labour and the Social Democrats.
There was an angry mood on Kildare Street. Some among a protesting crowd with Irish Tricolours abused many people, including Oireachtas staff, leaving Leinster House.
Earlier, Martin said the Government had introduced proportionately “the largest assistance package of any European country”.
Government spokespersons and some Coalition sources acknowledged the blow, but sought to project confidence after the resignation
Hitting out at blockades, he said everyone had a right to protest, but added that “nobody has a right to appoint themselves as the voice of the people and to threaten the jobs and livelihoods of many thousands of families”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris described the Sinn Féin motion as “just another one of their stunts”.
They had decided on a no-confidence motion “before they ever saw the details of the Government’s package of supports”, he said.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of “arrogance”, “abandoning the Irish people”, “lack of empathy” and “lack of judgment”.
