Michael Healy-Rae resigns over Government handling of fuel protests

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

A junior minister in the Government has resigned over its handling of the fuel protests.

Michael Healy-Rae, who was among several independent TDs who supported the formation of a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, said he would be voting against the Government in a confidence motion relating to the fuel crisis on Tuesday.

Healy-Rae also announced his resignation as Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, farm safety and horticulture within the Department of Agriculture.

He had supported the Government formation alongside his brother Danny Healy-Rae, both independent TDs for Kerry.

The outgoing minister said he had listened to protesters and canvassers as he thanked his family, friends and constituency workers.

“I’ve always looked at myself as a gauge of the people of rural Ireland, and I really believe that I am,” he told the Dáil.

“When I see people on the side of the road, when I’ve seen grown men crying… when I met tractor men, lorry men, farmers and when they were telling me how unhappy they were, the leader of the country should have listened.

“Because of the fact that I believe this government have let the people of Ireland down, I will be voting no confidence in the leader of the country, and I will be tendering my resignation as a minister of state from now.

“I would ask that future governments and this government that they would listen, that they would be kind, that they would be understanding.

“There are farmers that are really suffering so much at present. There are agricultural contractors that are really suffering.”