A divided Alliance: Halligan criticises McGrath and Boxer
JOHN Halligan has criticised fellow Junior Minister and Independent Alliance colleague Finian McGrath for predicting that Fianna Fáil will lead the next government.
Neither of the two are running for the next Dáil, but Mr Halligan told the Irish Daily Mail Mr McGrath shouldn’t have made the comments because he is still a minister. Mr McGrath said on Tuesday that the main Opposition party would win between ‘59 and 60 seats’.
‘I like Finian, but my own view is that it was inappropriate,’ Mr Halligan said. Responding to Mr
Halligan’s comments, Mr McGrath said: ‘I put my hands up, it was my mistake. I thought I was in a private conversation in a corridor in Leinster House when I made that comment. I didn’t make a statement, I didn’t make anything like that.’
He added: ‘I didn’t realise it was going to be a public story.’
He said he had apologised to the Taoiseach, who had ‘totally accepted’ his explanation.
Mr Halligan also took issue with another member of the Independent
Alliance, Junior Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, who is running in the election but not as a member of the Alliance, though he would be open to forming another alliance, should he win re-election.
Mr Halligan said: ‘[Mr Moran] gave no indication he wasn’t going to be part of the Alliance again. I just think it’s regretful. I’m annoyed at him to be honest, I don’t think he should have done that.’
Mr Halligan added that he doesn’t think the Independent Alliance is done because there are a number of councillors around the country associated with the group. He also said he would canvass for remaining member Tourism and Sports Minister Shane Ross. He also said he believed Fine Gael will be the party leading the next government because ‘people will make a judgment on the economy’.
He added: ‘I am not here to defend Fine Gael, I know it’s bad
‘I just think it’s regretful’
what has happened in the health service, but I think a lot will depend on the debates between Leo and Micheál Martin.’
He said he doesn’t think either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil will get 60 seats and that they will have to consider alternatives, such as Sinn Féin, in order to form a government. He said: ‘Whether you like Sinn Féin or not, if they are getting 20 seats or more than 20 seats, a substantial amount of people are voting to them, they may have to talk to them. I just think that everything will be on the cards, all parties will be on the cards.’
Speculation had been mounting over the last few days as to whether Mr Halligan would run again.
He announced his decision not to do so yesterday, and said he’d made up his mind a long time ago. He said: ‘I’m 65 this weekend. I’ve been very lucky, I’m 30 years in politics, I’m 20 years an elected representative. I’ve topped the polls twice as a councillor, done exceptionally well in two general elections and I was honoured to be a Junior Minister.’
Mr Moran was contacted for comment, but had not responded at the time of going to print.