Ross: Independent Alliance will go to the polls as a group

TRANSPORT Minister Shane Ross has insisted the Independent Alliance will run under the same banner in the next general election.

The group of Independent TDs came under intense scrutiny over their failure to land a number of key demands on Budget day.

However, Mr Ross insisted they have made major achievements in Government – and would contest the next election as a group.

“We are certainly ready for an election and we will certainly run under an Independent Alliance banner – there is no doubt whatsoever about that,” he said.

Disability Minister Finian McGrath also said the group was united, and praised his colleagues for the support they gave him during Budget negotiations.

But Minister for the Office of Public Works Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran was less enthusiastic when he was asked about re-entering government with his Dáil colleagues. Pressed a number of times, Mr Moran eventually said he would have “no difficulty” being an Independent Alliance member ahead of the next election.

The Alliance said it would not be seeking to renegotiate the terms of the Programme for Government in light of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil discussing an extension of the confidence and supply agreement. However, the group will be monitoring the talks between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Mr Ross and his colleagues came in for criticism over the measures they secured in the Budget. The much-publicised ‘granny flat grant’ did not materialise, and objections to the increase in the lower rate of Vat was over-ruled.

Mr Ross insisted Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy was committed to reviewing a current project which is similar to the grant.

The Alliance did lay claim to the full restoration of the Christmas bonus, hikes in gambling taxes and increases in disability payments.