Noel Grealish, an Independent TD, has recently confirmed that he will back Fine Gael leader Simon Harris in the upcoming vote for the role of Taoiseach. After their meeting on Thursday, Grealish from Galway West made it known that he will be voting in favour of Harris come next Tuesday, without shedding light on their discussion’s content.
This means that Harris currently anticipates the backing of five Independent TDs, providing the government a slight Dáil majority. Among the supporters are Denis Naughten of Roscommon-Galway, Marc MacSharry of Sligo-Leitrim, Michel Lowry of Tipperary and Joe McHugh of Donegal – a former Cabinet minister with Fine Gael who is currently lacking the whip.
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Another independent TD, Galway East’s Seán Canney, earlier had a talk with Harris. Awaiting a response on certain matters from the Fine Gael leader, Canney is yet to make a decision about his voting direction.
Meanwhile, Cathal Berry, an Independent TD from Kildare South, is scheduled to confer with Harris this Thursday. Berry endorsed both Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar for the position of Taoiseach in 2020 and 2022, respectively. He would like to witness the mini-budget being implemented prior to Dáil’s summer recess which, he believes, is pivotal and would like it to entail additional schemes for small businesses and the farming community.
Harris dismissed the notion of negotiating with Independents in return for their support stating that his interactions will not involve any transactions. The Coalition’s numerical superiority on paper during its rule has been strengthened thanks to votes from independent TDs during no-confidence exercises in the government and its ministers.