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fuel protests Heneghan is a member of the Regional Independents that make up numbers for a Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led government.
INDEPENDENT TD BARRY Heneghan defended standing by the government on the hotly-contested fuel package that was announced in the aftermath of the fuel protests. Heneghan is a member of the Regional Independents that make up numbers for a Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led government. Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae was also an Independent TD supporting government before his surprise defection to opposition benches and the resignation of his role as a Minister of State last week. Healy-Rae stepped away from his ministerial role as he felt government "have let the people of Ireland down" and the people of Kerry were deeply unhappy. Other members of the regional grouping include Ministers of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Marian Harkin, Sean Canney, Noel Grealish, and TDs Michael Lowry and Gillian Toole. Many have faced varying levels of criticism for backing the government amidst the fuel crisis and their handling of the nationwide fuel protests.
L-R: Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Noel Grealish, Gillian Toole, Michael Lowry, Marian Harkin, Barry Heneghan and Sean Canney at Leinster House in Dublin, after a deal was reached to form Ireland's government in January 2025. Brian Lawless / PA
Brian Lawless / PA / PA
Heneghan, who represents Dublin Bay North, said on RTÉ's The Week in Politics that he has been "targeted online" over his support for government. The TD said, "I was elected by the people of Dublin Bay North to be as influential as possible and benefit them. "Yesterday and for the last week, I've been targeted online. I've been targeted in person, clearly by political parties who want me to withdraw my support [for government]". Heneghan hit out at Sinn Féin for what he said was playing both sides, in putting forward a motion of no confidence in the government that would've led to the dissolution of the Dáil had it passed. This would mean the €505m package that government had presented would not have come into effect. Heneghan said there is a need for a "strong, stable government", which is why he chose to maintain his support. "If any political party thinks I'm going to jump ship and become less influential due to online intimidation, they have another think coming," the Independent said. "I wasn't elected to be on the sidelines. I was elected to make a change." Heneghan was also asked about former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's comments yesterday on urban Ireland and its subsidising of rural Ireland, which have caused some consternation. He said as a representative of the urban area of Dublin Bay North, "obviously I'll be biased on urban settings. I'm not a party member, so I represent North Dublin, so I'd be on the side of people in urban areas." Fine Gael Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell, also on the programme, did not explicitly disagree with his former party leader's remarks, but spoke about the interconnectivity and interdependency of the rural and urban areas in Ireland. He denied that Fine Gael is "out of touch".
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