23-05-2025
Healy-Rae plant hire company earned €182,000 from Kerry County Council last year
More than €6m was paid by Kerry County Council for external machinery contracting services in 2024.
Figures released on foot of a council motion for the plant hire services show the Healy-Rae company associated with TD Danny, and run by his son Johnny, a Kerry county councillor, earned over €182,000.
In what is now an annual motion, Independent Killarney councillor Brendan Cronin sought the full list of plant hire and haulage contractors.
Among the top earners in 2024 were Mike Cronin & Sons Limited, Coolnageragh, Currow, Co Kerry who were paid €634,562; followed by Nicholas Browne & Son Limited, Clahananoe, Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry, were paid €529,829, and Eamonn & Seamus Hobbins Ltd, Coolroe, Killorglin, Co Kerry paid €497,926.
A car and van rental company, Newbridge Car & Van Rental Ltd T/A Go Rentals, Newhall, Naas, Co Kildare, was paid €401,040.
The company associated with Danny Healy-Rae and his son the Kerry County councillor Johnny Healy-Rae, Healy-Rae Plant Hire Ltd, Main St, Kilgarvan, Co Kerry, earned €182,730.
The figure is down from just over €250,000 in 2023; Sunville Construction Ltd, of Main St, Kilgarvan, a subsidiary of Healy-Rae Plant Hire Ltd, received €21,434.
Founded by the late TD Jackie Healy-Rae in 1956, the company specialises in civil engineering, haulage, site clearing, and road markings and such.
It employs around 70 people.
Danny Healy-Rae stepped down as a director of Healy-Rae-Plant Hire during 2024 and the company plant hire is now run by Johnny Healy-Rae and his brother Dan.
Dynamic Purchasing System
The hire of plant and machinery for Kerry County Council was procured through the Dynamic Purchasing System for Local Authorities (the 'DPS'), which suits small operators, the council said in a statement.
'The DPS is an 'open market' procurement mechanism that remains open to new or previously unsuccessful applicants.
"This makes the DPS an effective compliant arrangement for supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
"This was developed by the Local Government Operational Procurement Centre, based in Killarney and managed by Kerry County Council,' the council said.
The procurement arrangement 'is a wholly electronic process ' and a competitive tendering process.
Pricing and machine type and rates per hour are all taken into account during what is a careful assessment by Kerry County Council.
'Ongoing achievement of cost effectiveness/value for money and focus on achieving efficiencies in this expenditure area, as in all other activities, remains critically important to the council.'
Tree Cutting companies, tool hire, hedge trimmers, and waste disposal companies are also on the list of just under 60 external contractors providing services to Kerry County Council in 2024.
Dillons Waste Disposal, The Kerries, Tralee, Co Kerry was paid €160,834; RT Hedge & Tree Cutting Limited, Mullin, Cordal, Co Kerry, was paid €131,184.
Mr Cronin said his 'annual notice of motion' was about accountability.
It was very important information for the general public to see how their money is being spent and it was to ensure the ratepayers and the public are getting value for money, Mr Cronin said.
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