INDEPENDENT TD Jackie Healy-Rae accused Brian Cowen of being motivated by “self-preservation to the detriment of the Irish people” in a letter addressed to the then taoiseach in Government Buildings.
On November 22nd last, after the then coalition announced the intervention of the EU-International Monetary Fund, Mr Healy-Rae threatened to withdraw his support for the government.
In a faxed letter to Mr Cowen released under the Freedom of Information Act to the RTÉ programme The Week in Politics, Mr Healy-Rae wrote: “Not alone did the taoiseach of this country tell blatant lies to the Irish people regarding the IMF and the ECB but his cabinet ministers to a man were singing from the same sheet.”
He urged Mr Cowen to call an election and “stop this charade of spin and lies”.
Mr Healy-Rae did not follow through on his threat and continued to support the coalition.
On February 2nd, the day after the Dáil was dissolved, Mr Healy-Rae wrote another letter to Mr Cowen. He said he was “expecting to hear from you in the days ahead for the R569 road and the eastern Kenmare Bypass. I want this money ring-fenced for these two projects.”
In June 2010, Mr Cowen wrote to Mr Healy-Rae to confirm his son Michael Healy-Rae would be appointed to the National Treatment Purchase Fund’s board.
“Following our recent discussions on the matter, I now wish to confirm that I have spoken to my colleague Ms Mary Harney . . . who has agreed to appoint Cllr Michael Healy-Rae to the board,” he wrote. In the event, Michael Healy-Rae was not appointed to the board.
