Michael Healy-Rae has said he will “be voting no confidence in the leader of the country” and will resign as a Minister of State.
Speaking in the Dáil at around 4pm on Tuesday, the Independent TD confirmed he would withdraw his support for the Government, stating that he believes it has “let the people of Ireland down”.
Healy-Rae indicated that his decision was influenced by interactions with people in rural Ireland, saying he saw significant distress among workers in agriculture and transport.
“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, adding that he had seen “grown men crying” over the situation in society.
“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.”
He went on to say that he no longer had confidence in the Government’s leadership and would step down from his ministerial role.
“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.”
Healy-Rae also called on the Government to take a different approach in its engagement with the public.
“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.”
Michael Healy-Rae previously oversaw the forestry, farm safety, and horticulture portfolios as a junior minister in the Department of Agriculture. He originally helped form the current coalition by pledging his support alongside his brother Danny and other Independent deputies.
Despite his announcement, the Government is expected to survive the no confidence vote scheduled to take place later this evening.