Local TDs vote along expected lines as Government survives ‘no confidence’ motion
While the exits of the Healy-Rae brothers from Government ranks captured national attention this month, there were no surprises with how local TDs voted on the Dáil confidence motion on Tuesday, April 14.
The three Government representatives in the Longford Westmeath constituency, Fine Gael Minister Peter Burke, Independent Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, and Fianna Fáil Minister of State Robert Troy, each stood with the current administration, while a vote of no confidence was cast by Sinn Féin's Sorca Clarke.
In the Roscommon Galway constituency, meanwhile, the vote of Fianna Fáil's Martin Daly expressed confidence in the current Government while the opposite stance was taken by Independent Ireland's Michael Fitzmaurice and Sinn Féin's Claire Kerrane.
The Government won the confidence motion by 92 votes to 78, though the defection of Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae, and stinging criticism of Micheál Martin's leadership from some Fianna Fáil backbenchers, meant it didn't emerge from the episode unscathed.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Athlone's Kevin 'Boxer' Moran said the alternative to the country's current leadership would be a "Liz Truss Government", referencing the Tory politician whose 50-day term in Downing Street in 2022 made her the shortest-serving prime minister in British history.
Speaking during the debate on the Dáil confidence motion, Minister of State Robert Troy said it would be "both foolhardy and wrong" for the Government not to acknowledge "the level of fear, anxiety and frustration felt by many of the people we represent".
He said that, like many of his colleagues, he was "in continuous engagement" with his constituents.
"The Government has acted. We now have a cumulative package of €750 million, one of the most comprehensive in Europe. The reason we have been able to go as far as we have, further than any other EU country, is because of the strength of our economy.
"The opposition has the luxury of coming forward with uncosted proposals that have the potential to damage our economic model," the Fianna Fáil representative added.
"Earlier, we heard a list of what the Opposition would do but no mention of the cost of that or how that list would be funded.
"The root problem is there is a war in Iran and a reduction in the production and supply of oil, which has left us dealing with the most severe energy crisis of modern times."
Also speaking in the Dáil on the same day, Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice accused the Government of failing to listen to people's concerns.
"The dog on the street knew there was discontent.... But no, the Government TDs will not listen to the people who elected them," said the Independent Ireland TD. "I have been here for a lot of debates and never in my life have I got more emails off people who were disgusted."
Speaking on 'The Tonight Show' on Virgin Media television, Deputy Claire Kerrane said the Government made a number of "appalling" mistakes in the way it handled the fuel protests crisis.
"We have a duty to hold the Government to account and I think for the general public out there, those that supported the protests and those that didn't, I do not think you could stand over what we saw last week," said the Roscommon Galway TD.
However, she was criticised by some for her response to a question from 'The Tonight Show' host Shane Coleman who asked if she "stood over" the "illegal" actions of some protesters in blocking fuel depots and "intimidating Gardai and intimidating fuel tank drivers".
In response, the TD said: "I supported the protesters. I'm not going to condemn any of the actions the protesters took last week. I'm not going to condemn a single action, none that you've listed, because the whole situation last week was avoidable.
"The representative organisations went in with a list (of proposed supports) on April 1, and they were told there would be an urgent response.
"Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, came and went. The Government could have dealt with this issue. They could have engaged and they could have listened, as you do in any dispute. They didn't do that and they made the situation a lot worse."
Shane Coleman again asked: "Just to be clear, you do not condemn the threats and intimidation of Gardai, and the threats and intimidation of fuel tank drivers?"
"I don't," Deputy Kerrane replied. "I cannot condemn the actions of protesters. There was a desperate call from workers and families last week in this State and that was totally ignored by Government."