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INDEPENDENT TD DANNY Healy-Rae was labelled a “fucking asshole” and a “disgrace” in the Dáil last night after he brought up the gender of People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy’s child during a debate on the Finance Bill.
At one point during the debate, Healy-Rae complained he was being heckled and stated that the majority in the Dáil voted in favour of the carbon tax “except our little group”.
“No we did not, as we point out every single time,” Murphy responded.
For which Healy Rae responded:
“What do you know? Sure you do not know whether your own baby is a boy or a girl.”
“Fuck off,” retorted Murphy, before calling the Kerry TD an “asshole”.
When Murphy’s wife gave birth last year he told The Irish Times that the couple had decided to name their child Juniper whether it was a boy or girl as they were not “gendering” their child.
“Well, it is the truth. He told it loud. I did not make it up; he told us himself,” Healy Rae said in the Dáil last night.
As the Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl tried to calm down matters, Murphy said to Healy Rae: “You are a fucking asshole.”
“Well, it is the truth. He told it loud. I did not make it up; he told us himself,” said Healy Rae.
Other deputies intervened, with Fianna Fáil’s Paul McAuliffe calling for the Kerry TD’s remarks to be withdrawn. Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall said Healy Rae was a “disgrace”.
Labour’s Ged Nash also called for the remark to be withdrawn, stating that Healy Rae should also apologise to Murphy and his family.
“This nonsense is tolerated far too much. It is personalised and it is insulting,” Nash said.
The Ceann Comhairle said Healy Rae should withdraw the remark stating it was “personal and inappropriate”.
“It is the truth but if it will please you, I will withdraw it. It is for the individual itself that I am concerned,” replied the Kerry TD.
“You are a disgrace. Stay quiet,” said Shortall, with Nash commenting that it was only a qualified withdrawal from the deputy.
“You are an asshole,” Nash said to Healy Rae.
“To deal with the topics at hand, I think Deputy Healy Rae suggested we do not know where money comes from. I will tell you where it comes from. Money is wealth generated by workers. It is not generated by millionaires like you, Deputy Healy Rae,” said Murphy.
The Kerry TD became exercised, stating: “I am no millionaire.”
He called on Murphy to withdraw the comment, stating: “I can prove to everyone here I am not a millionaire.”
“Okay, your brother is a millionaire. I apologise. No problem,” said Murphy.
“I cannot say yes or no about that because I do not know,” said the Kerry TD.
“Fine. There is a game played in here, above all, by the Healy-Raes. There are others on that side of the House who come in here and play a game of being the ordinary man and woman standing up for ordinary people who do not believe in nonsense like climate change. The Healy-Raes, in my opinion, do not stand up for ordinary people,” Murphy added.
Ceann Comhairle pleaded with the two TDs: “Please, can we stop.”
