Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae is in Cork University hospital after being attacked by a cow at his farm near Kilgarvan on Sunday night.
His son Jackie, who is his parliamentary assistant, said his father was recovering well: “He is in good spirits. He is only raring to go because there are a lot of important issues to be addressed.”
The Independent Kerry TD, who had returned earlier from Dublin after appearing on RTÉ’s The Week In Politics, had just helped a suckler cow to calve at 8pm.
His son Kevin and a neighbour, John Joe Reilly, were with him. They quickly raised the alarm. The cow who attacked had just given birth to her second calf.
After checks by a GP, he was taken to hospital where he remained on Monday night. The family are hopeful he will be allowed home on Tuesday.
The cow butted Healy-Rae, giving him a stomach injury, cuts and bruises.
Cows can become extremely aggressive after calving, said Killarney vet Danny O’Sullivan. Sucklers and steers pose the biggest risk, as they are handled less often. Diary cows are more used to farmers.
Mr Healy-Rae’s nephew Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae said farmers are often on their own during calving: “It’s essential they carry a mobile phone.