MacSharry had a second shouting match – this time with his FF leader

FIANNA Fáil leader Micheál Martin had a verbal confrontation with party colleague Marc MacSharry minutes after the TD was involved in a far more public row with the Healy-Rae brothers in Dáil Éireann, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.

The two Fianna Fáil TDs met at the entrance to the Dáil Private Members’ Bar on Wednesday minutes after the incident.

Mr Martin voiced his unhappiness at how Mr MacSharry had handled the episode, which drew international media attention.

Mr MacSharry forcibly defended himself.

Mr Martin criticised Mr MacSharry for losing his ‘f**king cool’.

Mr MacSharry responded that his leader should ‘f**king deal’ with speaking rights for Fianna Fáil TDs.

Last night Mr MacSharry did not want to comment on the confrontation with Mr Martin.

However he explained that the row with Kerry Independent TDs Michael and Danny Healy-Rae was an expression of a growing frustration with ‘New Politics’, the conduct

‘About time we f***ing asserted ourselves’

of the Fine Gael-led Government and his own party’s performance.

He said Independent TDs now have ‘800%’ more speaking time than the average backbench TD. He says many party colleagues share his frustration.

He said the Dáil under New Politics is ‘totally dysfunctional’ and the parliament is ‘rigged in favour of the Government’. And he claimed that his own party is not showing the ‘necessary leadership’ to make it work.

Other Fianna Fáil TDs added to the criticism of the party leadership, saying that a ‘clear-out’ of the party’s front bench is required. There is a belief that longer serving front-bench spokespeople need to be replaced with younger TDs.

Last Wednesday in the Dáil Mr MacSharry became annoyed that the Healy-Raes were taking advantage of a new system for speaking in the Dáil. There is no suggestion that Danny and Michael Healy Rae did anything wrong.

After sustained recriminations Leas Ceann Comhairle Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher adjourned the Dáil. Mr MacSharry left the chamber and went to the Members’ Bar.

A TD who was in the Members’ Bar said: ‘Marc went for a smoke in the smoking area off the Members’ Bar. Between the Members’ Bar and the corridor there is a small lobby, as he walked into the lobby there was Micheál saying: “Ah, f**king MacSharry losing the f**king cool.”

‘Marc said: “Sorry, don’t give out about me. Don’t give out about me. F**king deal with this.’

Mr MacSharry is believed to partially blame Mr Martin for allowing the Independent TDs so much speaking time in the Dáil.

Mr Martin replied: ‘Well there is nothing we can f**king deal with.’

Mr MacSharry said: ‘What the f**k is the way to deal with it?

‘Your way? Ask f***ing Leo for permission? It’s about time we f***ing asserted ourselves.’

It is said that Mr MacSharry then walked away.

Mr MacSharry says that he has no lasting issue with the Healy-Rae brothers, who are TDs for Kerry. ‘The Independents put themselves forward for election, they do very, very well, they get elected, they work very hard for their constituents,’ said Mr MacSharry.

‘I respect their mandate, and I certainly have no issue with the Healy- Raes,’ he said. He went on to explain that independents have formed ‘de facto parties’ earning leadership-style speaking rights. ‘An impact of that is that your average independent has 800% more speaking time than your average backbench TD from whatever party,’ he said.

Mr MacSharry is one of a growing number of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators who believe that the confidence-and-supply deal with Fine Gael and New Politics are not working.’ He says that his party should show leadership and tackle the Government on the ‘dysfunctional’ Dáil. He said he would not blame figures in his own party, saying that ‘it falls upon us all’.

However there is growing unhappiness in Fianna Fáil – at the party’s stalled progress in the polls and the perceived lack of effort from some frontbenchers.

Asked for a response, the Fianna Fáil press office said it had no comment to make, before adding: ‘Speaking times in the Dáil are a matter for the Business Committee where each party and group have equal voting rights.

‘Fianna Fáil regularly puts forward proposals to ensure fair speaking rights for TDs.’ john.lee@mailonsunday.ie