The Defenestration of Danny.
He’s not taking it well.
The deputy for Kerry seems to have forgotten that he had a nod-and-wink deal with the Government: his vote, and his brother’s vote, in return for a ministerial position, a committee seat and a drip-feed of Healy-Rae concessions for the good of the constituency.
He reneged on it.
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So the deal is off, like Danny’s behind from that committee seat.
And now he’s whingeing.
Is the wilderness better than the promised land?
It is, when you’re not the person heading into it.
In last week’s Tale of Two Healy-Raes, Michael the Younger voted against the Government in a confidence motion and lost the ministry he loved.
Danny the Elder, who seemed more gung-ho than his brother, gave the thumbs-down too. He wouldn’t be the one resigning as minister of state in the Department of Agriculture. Although when the brothers very publicly negotiated their post-general election package to support the Coalition, DHR was also rewarded with a coveted Government slot on the Oireachtas agriculture committee.
At the time, they made no bones about their Bogof (buy one, get one free) arrangement.
“Myself and Danny – it’s a team effort,” a buoyed-up Michael told Radio Kerry after they sealed the deal with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, going out of his way to laud his brother’s negotiation skills.
At this point, MHR was still being coy about the Government job while dropping heavy hints about all the goodies which would come the way of Kerry as a result of this significant appointment for the count.
“There is an understanding that there will be a portfolio for the Healy-Raes,” he cooed.
And, as it turned out, the added sweetener of a little “com-mit-tee” job for the non-office holder.
The Bogof promotion was endorsed by Danny during that same interview. “We feel we can do more from being within the Government rather than being, you know, outside for another 10 years.”
But less than a year and a half into their agreement with the Coalition parties, massive fuel protests, primarily driven by agricultural contractors and farmers, put the Government on the back foot and rural TDs under major grassroots pressure.
Whereupon both Healy-Raes bailed out on their commitment. The morning after the Bogof Brothers voted themselves back to Opposition, the Kerry-based Minister for Children, Norma Foley, said she was surprised by their decision as both brothers agreed to lend their support for the lifetime of the Government.
Not least, she said, because Michael had put out a video the day before explaining why he would be voting confidence in the Government. His brother, meanwhile, was sending out different signals.
In the aftermath of last week’s vote, it was being said around Leinster House that Danny was determined to pull the plug in the face of the protests, thereby sealing his brother’s fate as a minister. He went back to Radio Kerry to set the record straight.
“I didn’t influence him one way or the other,” insisted Danny. “Whatever discussions that were held behind closed doors ... I didn’t influence him and that’s that.”
The Dáil returned for a new week yesterday.
Danny, still in his seat on the fringe of the Opposition benches, where he operated as an Independent TD supporting the Government while reserving the right to speak and behave like he wasn’t.
The seat Michael used to sit with the other Independent Ministers of State was empty.
There was no sign of him or his trademark black cap in the chamber at all.
Which is a pity. He might have been able to give Danny some moral support when he threw a major wobbly over being stripped of his committee seat by the Government Chief Whip, Mary Butler.
Michael knows his way around a deal, even if he famously bridled during that interview after his ministerial appointment when asked to confirm that a deal had been done to secure his support for the Coalition.
“I never said the word deal!”
But that’s what he had and he knew it, as he knew he had to walk once he voted no confidence in the Government he was sworn to serve.
Two for the price of one – that was the understanding.
Danny’s goose was cooked too.
But at least he had that com-mit-tee, no? Maybe if he stayed quiet up in that far corner beside Barry Heneghan of the Regional Independents, who also signed up to bolster the Coalition, nobody would notice.
But the Chief Whip noticed pretty sharpish and moved to give him the heave-ho.
Danny didn’t keep his side of the bargain. What did he expect?
He expected to be kept on the committee, which he enjoyed very much.
Most of the Opposition was highly amused by his rearguard action to hang on to the job.
But Danny was stoutly defended by Michael Collins, the leader of Indignation Ireland.
During the Order of Business, he reminded Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a speech he made 10 years ago when in opposition in which he complained about TDs being removed from committees because they voted against the government.
“Why now do you do a 360-degree turn and try and seek to remove Deputy Danny Healy-Rae from the agriculture committee ... his decision has to be reversed and we need a debate on it.”
[ The Kingdom divided: mixed views in Kerry on Michael Healy-Rae leaving GovernmentOpens in new window ]
Danny was on his feet. Highly vexed and demanding to be heard.
The Ceann Comhairle called on the Chief Whip instead.
“No, deputy. You’re not entitled to speak.”
He believed otherwise.
“Deputy. Shush. Please,” pleaded Verona Murphy.
“Justice for the Kilgarvan One!” shouted Labour’s Ged Nash.
Danny battled on, citing standing order 35(3) on his behalf.
“Do you have an amendment?” asked Verona.
“I have,” said Danny. “My amendment is that I be allowed stay in the committee of agriculture because my understanding was that I was appointed an Independent member not a member of Government or Fianna Fáil,” said the man who told Radio Kerry he and his brother were supporting the Coalition because “we can do more from being within the Government”.
Some deputies found this hilarious.
Deputy Mary Butler didn’t give an inch.
“All deputies will be aware that you do not need to be a member of a committee to attend a committee.”
As for the request for a debate, she’ll consider it.
The Government won the vote to remove Danny. Fianna Fáil backbencher Michael Cahill, who had to resign from the justice committee earlier this year after he was convicted of dangerous driving for speeding through Cork at 190km/h, will replace him.
We hear the Kerry TD accepted it like a shot.
The vote was passed and deal-breaker Danny, just like his brother, was out of a job.
As for those people who still say he threw Michael under the bus – given the two-for-one clause, would Danny not have figured out that the bus would reverse over him next?
