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Irish Examiner
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
'Government expects support of Regional Independents in key votes'
The Government expects all Regional Independent TDs to support it during votes of confidence and while passing budgets, public expenditure minister Jack Chambers has said. Mr Chambers said there is an ongoing commitment from Regional Independent TDs to back the Government, after both Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole voted for a Sinn Féin bill on Wednesday night. The two independent TDs backed Sinn Féin's legislation that would prohibit the Central Bank from handling Israeli government bonds. 'Obviously they made individual decisions yesterday evening as non-aligned TDs in the Dáil, but they've also outlined their commitment to continue to support the Government,' Mr Chambers said. On Wednesday, Mr Heneghan confirmed he voted against the Government, saying in a statement that it was about 'standing up for international law and basic human rights". 'Matters of conscience' "I'm fully committed to the programme for government but, as an Independent TD, I reserve the right to act on matters of conscience. The situation is urgent, and Ireland must show leadership,' Mr Heneghan said. Pressed what sanction the two TDs would face for voting against the Government, Mr Chambers said it was 'not about punishment'. 'We obviously have a whip system within the party groups, within Fianna Fáil, within Fine Gael and indeed ministers and ministers of state, our office holders within the Government. 'We have an ongoing commitment I think, and we've heard from the TDs in the last 24 hours around continued support for the Government. They've been generally supportive across many areas of legislation.' Mr Chambers said it reflected previous debate on non-aligned TDs and that Regional Independent TDs would be able to make up their mind on an 'individual basis'. However, when pressed if he expected the Regional Independents to back the Government during key votes such as budgets or confidence motions, Mr Chambers said that he did. 'We've had a very constructive working engagement with all of the Independent TDs and the non-aligned TDs who are members of Government and I expect that to continue in the period ahead," he said. 'On a vote of confidence or a budgetary matter, if they're continuing to support the Government as it is, that's obviously a more significant vote. I'd expect them, in light of the statement after the vote last evening, that they'll continue to support the Government.'
Extra.ie
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
17 Ministers of State still do not have any legal powers
Anger is growing among junior ministers, and many of them may not receive the legal powers needed to run their departments prior to the summer recess, which begins in July. The Government, having appointed 23 Ministers of State, has failed to give almost three-quarters of them any so-called delegated functions, which are the required legal powers. Ministers of State do not have any powers to legislate, develop or implement proposals until these are granted by their department's minister. Michael Healy-Rae TD pictured outside Leinster House Pic: Leon Farrell / The junior ministers yet to receive the powers include senior Coalition supporters such as Noel Grealish, Marian Harkin, Michael Healy-Rae and Kevin 'Boxer' Moran. Others include Charlie McConalogue, Hildegarde Naughton, Thomas Byrne, Timmy Dooley, Christopher O'Sullivan, Emer Higgins, Alan Dillon, Niall Collins, Colm Brophy, Niamh Smyth, Kieran O'Donnell, John Cummins and Jerry Buttimer. The figures were secured by Independent Offaly TD Carol Nolan, who asked all departments 'to confirm that all Ministers of State… have had their ministerial powers delegated to them'. TD Carol Nolan. Pic: Collins Trouble has already broken out between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over the failure to provide the Minister of State John Cummins, a member of the latter party, with delegated powers to deal with the State's troubled planning process. However, Ms Nolan's questions revealed that at least 17 of the State's 23 junior ministers do not have the 'delegated functions'. Deputy Nolan said: 'For all of the focus and political capital Government parties rightly expended on ensuring their own backbenchers had speaking rights, it now seems absurdly ironic that they would demonstrate no such interest in granting anything but 'nodding dog' powers to their own Ministers of State.' Commenting on the ongoing status of her Regional Independent ministerial colleagues, Ms Nolan noted: 'This is a blatant betrayal of the commitments provided to those Independent ministers who were assured that they would have an active role in not just shaping but implementing policy.' Ms Nolan added that the 'truth is 'Independent' is still a dirty word for some in Government'. The absence of powers for these politicians is expected to generate further controversy relating to the substantial rise in pay and emoluments received by the record 23 junior ministers.
