Michael Healy Rae

The bulk of the six-week negotiations happened between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, but the Regional Independent Group played a vital role in forming the new government

The Healy-Rae brothers refer to working in government, even if Danny wants to be able to bark questions at that government as if still sitting on the opposition benches

Arrangements underpinning the support of Independents seem to be based on constructive ambiguity

Speculation intensifying six days ahead of formal appointment of new Cabinet next Wednesday

Healy-Raes say they will not be ‘whipped’ when it comes to ‘fundamental issues’ and ‘matters of conscience’

Government’s first legislation will be to amend law to allow for three new ministers of State and additional super junior minister

New Government’s plans criticised by opposition as lacking ambition

Backlash after Michael Lowry proposes that he and other Independents supporting next Coalition sit on Opposition benches

Full programme for government agreed, with parties set to meet to review and ratify document

Department of Justice will incorporate home affairs and migration

Full text of new programme to be made available today in advance of meetings of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary parties

VAT to fall from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent for food, hospitality, hairdressers and entertainment in next budget

In the News podcast: The Healy-Rae brothers are in advanced talks with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

Across the different parties and groups, more than 20 negotiators have been working hard to hammer out a deal

Fianna Fáil likely to get Department of Justice, with Dublin TD Jim O’Callaghan among names floated for the ministerial role

Negotiators continue to work through policy areas with rolling sessions raising the possibility of imminent agreement

Regional Independent group and two Healy-Rae brothers set to join new government if negotiations are successful

Group of eight Independent TDs will submit a position paper to the two bigger parties setting out its preconditions for entering government

‘Major policy differences’ between Social Democrats and larger parties suggest Soc Dems unlikely to have role in next coalition

Parties report steady progress but difficult areas yet to be discussed

Government formation talks to ‘intensify’ in new year but sources say ratification will take time

New coalition government ‘on track’ to be formed by January 22nd, Simon Harris says

The Kerry shareholders’ deal has seen millionaires minted and new sheds, tractors, fields and even yachts to cross the Shannon envisaged

Electorate did not back Independents at level suggested by polling during the campaign but they could still play major role in 34th Dáil

Healy-Rae was elected to the Dáil in 2011 after the death of his father, Jackie Healy-Rae

Election 2024: Sinn Féin has solid voter base, particularly in the north and northwest of the county

Row erupted between Danny Healy-Rae and Paul Murphy during debate on Finance Bill which was passed by 75 to 55 votes

It’s dog eat dog for parking spaces every Tuesday at the Oireachtas

HSE has cut reimbursement rate for patients travelling for operations but many in need of procedure have little choice but to pay up

Reply to parliamentary question that maintained there were ‘massive problems’ was draft sent out in error, University Hospital Kerry says

The bus to Belfast for cataract surgery is a brilliant bit of political entrepreneurship, but it clouds the reality that healthcare is a right and we, the public, pay for all these treatments

Kerry TD’s mother ‘never said anything bad about any human being’, he told House - but she was still the subject of taunts

Taoiseach says establishment of regulator and safety code will hold social media platforms to account

The Roaring Independents are the unwhipped cream of Irish politics, proudly refusing to take orders from anybody

Dean Hickson threw a bottle at the Kerry Independent TD at an antigovernment demonstration outside Leinster House last year

There was a time when we were rightly appalled about the language used about migrants in Brexit Britain. Now it is steadily being normalised here

Rural Independents say Ireland now effectively a ‘colonial outpost of an EU regulatory empire’ as Minister stands over 80% border crossing figure

Michael McGrath in heated exchange with Kerry TD and Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty over increases in motor fuel excise duty

It may be left to the political parties to make their positions clear on the matter in advance of the general election

Timeframe should be extended to a year for those with neurodegenerative condition, committee says