FG may back Mattie for leas-cheann comhairle

Jobs offered in bid to prop up Government

THE Government is ready to trade the prestigious role of leascheann comhairle and other top positions for the support of key independents, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath could be offered Fine Gael backing in his bid to be elected leas-cheann comhairle.

The Dáil voted this week but failed to elect a leas-cheann comhairle. A deal involving Mr McGrath is a likely solution.

A combined Fine Gael and independents vote would give Mr McGrath 72 votes, leaving him just six votes short.

There is also the possibility that Dr Michael Harty, an independent Clare TD who is seen as a wavering supporter of the Government, could be made chairman of the Oireachtas health committee.

Fine Gael is increasingly concerned that the independents supporting the Government are not reliable.

The party is now preparing to reopen negotiations with at least three other Independents as a ‘belt and braces’ approach.

Fine Gael ministers plan to approach Galway West TD Noel Grealish, Roscommon TD Michael Fitzmaurice and Tipperary TD Mr McGrath.

There is particular concern about the strength of the support being offered by Waterford TD John Halligan, who was last month appointed a junior minister in the Department of Enterprise.

Members of Mr Halligan’s Independent Alliance have privately expressed doubt over whether he will remain in the Government for the long haul.

A minister said: ‘We believe we should ensure extra support. Talks with Grealish, Mattie and Fitzmaurice were well progressed until the day the deal was done. We just didn’t come to final agreement and then we had the numbers.

‘Noel Grealish is somebody we can definitely do business with.

‘And the leas-cheann comhairle position is deadlocked. We could support Mattie for that if he came into the camp and supported the Government,’ he said.

Mr McGrath, for his part, said he was open to an approach.

‘I am open to talk to anybody and I negotiated with Fine Gael for weeks prior to Government formation,’ he said. ‘We just couldn’t agree on a number of issues but that can be sorted out. I do not believe a general election is desirable.’

Mr McGrath would also like to receive Fine Gael’s support.

‘I stood for leas-cheann comhairle and there was nobody with enough support. Constitutionally, we need a person in that position soon.’

Fianna Fáil’s Pat The Cope Gallagher, Sinn Féin’s Seán Crowe, Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkan and Mr McGrath all stood for the position, which is an open vote in the Dáil.

Nobody secured enough votes and it is unclear when the vote will be held again.

Concerns over how long the Government will last were heightened this week following its defeat during a vote over a Labour Bill on workers’ rights.

It has also emerged that Mr Kenny spoke with Dr Harty on Thursday as Fine Gael prepares to back the Clare TD as chairman of the Oireachtas health committee.

Dr Harty sparked concerns in Government circles last week when he said he never committed to full-time support of the minority administration.

‘We should ensure extra support’