Jackie Healy-Rae - An Obituary

Jackie Healy-Rae, who has died at the age of 83, was a colourful politician. 

His cap, his way of speaking and his unique wit all made his stand out.

But he was above all always courteous and canny.

This combination helped him twice agree deals to support the Government, first in 1997 and again ten years later.

That 2007 agreement said €70m promised by Government to improve roads in his constituency. 

Importantly too it gave him access to the Taoiseach's office.

Many saw this as the worst form of parish pump politics, played out on the national stage.

The man himself was unapologetic and he was successfully returned by the voters in Kerry South in the three elections.

However, his decision to run in 1997 as an independent was a reluctant one. 

This was afterall a man who had been a loyal Fianna Fáil councillor and trusted election organisers, dating back almost three decades at that stage. 

Yet the party did not want him to run for the Dáil and that proved costly for them as they had to promise him much more than many Government backbenchers.

The man himself enjoyed the national profile but in the end he kept all his politics local.

In the words of the man himself, he wouldn't try to do anything different, but rather try to do a "hell of a lot more of the same."

Former Independent TD Jackie Healy-Rae dies

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