Tue, 21 Jan, 2025 - 08:28Regional Independent Group has 'air of political party'The Regional Independent Group has the "air of a political party about them" and are likely to be stable partners for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, according to a political commentator James Cox<p>The Regional Independent Group has the "air of a political party about them" and are likely to be stable partners for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, according to a political commentator.</p><p>After the general election, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael came away with 86 seats, two short of a Dáil majority.</p><p>That saw them enter negotiations with the Regional Independent Group of TDs.</p><p>The Regional Independent Group (RIG) is made up of Michael Lowry, Seán Canney, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan, and Gillian Toole.</p><p>Verona Murphy was also a member of the group, and the Wexford TD's successful nomination as Ceann Comhairle was seen as the start of constructive government formation talks.</p><p>The new government will also be supported by Independent Kerry TDs Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae, with the latter taking a junior ministry.</p><p>The involvement of Michael Lowry has been controversial. Mr Lowry was heavily criticised in a judge-led inquiry examining payments to politicians, the Moriarty Tribunal.</p><p>The 70-year-old was criticised in a tribunal that was established in September 1997, which examined payments to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry.</p><p>The tribunal’s final report was published in March 2011 and found that Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael TD,<span> had had an “insidious and pervasive” influence over the awarding of a mobile phone licence to Denis O’Brien’s Esat Digifone company.</span></p><p></p><div class="figure aligncenter fixed-width-container"><img src="https://images.breakingnews.ie/prod/uploads/2025/01/20183623/PA-78694832.jpg" alt="" width="607" height="1024" class="size-full wp-image-1720099 aligncenter fixed-width-container"><div class="figcaption caption"> Michael Lowry's involvement in government formation has been controversial. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images</div></div><p>The tribunal also criticised his behaviour as “profoundly corrupt”. Mr Lowry has always rejected the tribunal's findings.</p><p>It is understood the RIG will hold two junior ministeries, Galway East TD Seán Canney and Noel Grealish of Galway West. Sligo–Leitrim TD Marian Harkin and Longford–Westmeath TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran will hold junior ministerial roles.</p><p>There has been huge controversy over Ms Murphy ruling that the remaining RIG TDs will have opposition speaking time, with Sinn Féin and Labour seeking legal advice.</p><p>Despite all this, and the uncertainty of dealing with Independents, political commentator Gary Murphy told BreakingNews.ie that the Regional Independent Group has the "air of a political party".</p><p>The DCU Politics professor said: "I think the speaking rights thing is a bit too clever by half, it's a bit rich for those who are supporting the government to seek opposition speaking time. It sort of makes a mockery of the idea of a parliament with an opposition and a government.</p><p>"There is some debate on what has been agreed or not in terms of constituency deals, but let's be frank, Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry are going to be supporting the government so the idea that they get opposition speaking time is a bit too clever by half.</p><p>"I think the Regional Independent Group have an air of a political party about them, the fact that they've all signed up for the programme would suggest to me they will probably behave like a political party. They may lose one along the way but I wouldn't expect any drama in the first initial couple of months.</p><p>"I do think it is slightly ridiculous that there are so many junior ministerial jobs. Of course, the Dáil is now bigger so you need more seats to reach a majority but the idea of 23 ministers of State does seem slightly excessive."</p><p>Prof Murphy added: "From Barry Heneghan who is 26, to Michael Lowry in his early 70s, there's nothing in it for them to be fighting an early election in three years time or whatever. They're as well off to see it out.</p><p>"You might lose one or two along the way but the government has a big majority now, and the opposition is still divided."</p><p>Prof Murphy said the government, which will be confirmed on Wednesday when the Dáil returns, will be in a strong position to serve its full five-year term.</p><p>He believes experience of the previous coalition will stand to Micheál Martin and Simon Harris, who will serve as taoiseach and tánaiste.</p><blockquote><p>The great pragmatist in Irish politics Micheál Martin is very used to coalition. My sense is it will last.</p></blockquote><p>"I think the government will settle down and the experience of five years ago will stand to Micheál Martin in particular. It couldn't have been much worse for Fianna Fáil in 2020 when he lost Barry Cowen and Dara Calleary as ministers in short order over Cowen's drink driving and then Golfgate. He'll be have learned from that and how to settle into government quickly."</p><p>He added: "Things do crop up, we saw it in '93-94 when that Labour, Fianna Fáil government collapsed, but that was a different Fianna Fáil that had never been in coalition. It was before the Progressive Democrats deals, Albert Reynolds (then taoiseach) hated being in coalition, he was an old style politican who thought Fianna Fáil should have an overall majority.</p><p>"Those days are kind of gone and we're more used to coalitions.</p><p>"The great pragmatist in Irish politics Micheál Martin is very used to coalition. My sense is it will last."</p><p>Prof Murphy said there is a danger for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that their individual identities will erode the longer they remain in power together.</p><p>"There was a bit of a false war between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael at the beginning of the general election campaign, it was a bit tetchy and then it calmed down.</p><p>"I do think the more they serve in government together, the history, culture, separate identify becomes difficult to sustain.</p><p>"Governments by their nature go through peaks and troughs and get re-elected, Fianna Fáil under Bertie Ahern with the Progressive Democrats 20 odd years ago for example.</p><p>"There is a danger, some of the Regional Independents are former Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael too.</p><p>"The longer they spend in government together, I do think there are risks for the identity of both parties holding up in an election further down the line."</p><p>While there will be a number of TDs disappointed when Mr Martin and Mr Harris confirm their Cabinet on Wednesday, Prof Murphy said there will be "consolation prizes" due to the additional junior ministerial posts.</p><p>He cited Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as a likely candidate for promotion.</p><p>On the opposition, Prof Murphy said Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats and the Labour Party may have to put their differences aside to present a viable alternative government.</p><blockquote><p>For Sinn Féin, they must still be thinking 'where did it all go wrong?'</p></blockquote><p>"Labour will want to rebuild, the Social Democrats will want to push on, it's a bit different maybe for Sinn Fein, but I do see the government lasting.</p><p>"For Sinn Féin, they must still be thinking 'where did it all go wrong?', they were consistently at 33 per cent for over a year.</p><p>"Fianna Fáil had already ruled it out [a Sinn Féin coalition], then you were looking at a left alliance from the radical People Before Profit at one end of the spectrum to the more moderate Labour at the other.</p><p>"Going forward if this government remains in office for five years, the way to get it out will be an alignment whereby Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats will have to say 'look, this is the alternative government'.</p><p>"That will mean working together during this Dáil and then presenting themselves as 'we want you to vote for Sinn Féin, but also to transfer to Labour and the Social Democrats' and vice versa.</p><p>"If it remains as disparate as it was in the election just gone then, I don't think Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will be going anywhere at around 20 per cent so getting them out will only work if there is much more cooperation and probably some sort of voting pact."</p> DCUMicheál Martinsimon harrisSinn FeinLabourMichael Healy-RaeDanny Healy-RaeIrish politicsBertie AhernVerona MurphyJennifer Carroll MacNeillAlbert ReynoldsMichael LowryGary MurphyRegional Independent Groupbarry heneghanRIGWhat the papers say: Sunday's front pagesREAD NOW
