Healy-Raes: ‘We’ll obey the will of the people’

TD’s Michael and Danny Healy-Rae say they won’t try to block the abortion legislation in the Dáil after last Friday’s resounding ‘Yes’ vote.

The two Kilgarvan TDs will now support the ‘will of the people’ having seen the huge support across Kerry for the Repeal of the Eighth.

Kerry’s ‘Yes’ vote came in at 58.3 per cent with a 62.4 per cent turnout on the day.

This represents a change of heart as the two Kilgarvan TDs had voted against holding a referendum in the first place.

Both TDs voted against allowing the people have their say on the country’s abortion laws earlier this year when the matter came before the Dáil. They were among a group of32TDstodoso.

When the Dáil voted on holding a referendum, Danny Healy-Rae said it was “his duty” to speak for unborn babies adding that “only God decides when a life should end”.

This week he said he won’t be standing in the way of legislation.

“I won’t be blocking legislation in any way. I am still ‘No’ to certain aspects of it. My main concerns are the 12 and 24 week provisions. I will see what they put before us on that,” he said.

“I am ‘No’ to aspects of it but not the rest of it, like travelling to the UK and the fatal foetal abnormalities. I will not block it but I will vote ‘No’ to aspects of it.”

He said that the huge Kerry ‘Yes’ vote did not indicate that the HealyRaes are out of touch with voters.

“I am very much in touch. I am out pounding the roads of the county night in, night out. Of course I knew that the ‘Yes’ side would win but that didn’t change my mind. I don’t change my principles with the way the wind is blowing.”

His brother Michael Healy-Rae has also said that he won’t stand in the way of legislation, though he said his views coincide with over 40 per cent of Kerry people.

He said he had voted ‘No’ in the referendum because that was his belief but the ‘will of the people’ must now be respected.

“I’m a democrat. The people have spoken in a strong fashion so the only thing to happen now is to legislate. I absolutely won’t obstruct legislation, to do so would be wrong and undemocratic,” he said.

He said that other bills such as the Judicial Appointments Bill and the Road Traffic Bill – which are being held up in the Dáil – are not what the people asked for, while legislation for abortion is the will of the people.

This weekend saw the people of Kerry give an overwhelming ‘Yes’ to repeal the Eighth, with almost all areas in Kerry voting ‘Yes’.

This included many areas – such as their own home town – that would be considered strongholds of the two Independent TDs.

According to tallies, Barraduff, a well-known strong-hold of the Healy-Raes – Danny in particular – voted by 57 per cent to 43 per cent in favour of repeal.

Similarly, Lauragh, Bonane, Sneem and Tuosist, all areas where the Healy Raes would be expected to garner votes, voted to repeal.

The brothers’ home of Kilgarvan also voted to repeal with a 51.9 per cent and 60 per cent ‘Yes’ vote return in the village’s two ballot boxes.