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MICHAEL AND DANNY Healy-Rae discussed their fallout in the aftermath of the April fuel protests, which saw Michael resign from his position as a junior minister and the two leave government.

The brothers addressed the lead-up, culmination and aftermath of their fallout in an RTÉ documentary, The Healy-Raes: Blood, Sweat & Tears, which aired on Wednesday evening.

In April, against the backdrop of nationwide protests over the taxes levied on motor fuel as the price soared higher due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Danny Healy-Rae appeared on Radio Kerry to express his dissatisfaction with the government parties’ handling of protests.

He said he had no confidence in the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and would be voting against them in a Sinn Féin-tabled vote of no confidence. He also said TDs within Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should topple their leaders.

Team Healy-Rae had jointly agreed to support the government during formation talks and Michael had been awarded a junior ministry at the department of forestry as a result.

Michael then announced he would be resigning from his position in support of the fuel protesters. He exited the Dáil and raised a fist at awaiting supporters.

But behind the scenes, it became increasingly clear that Michael’s departure from the government was spurred on by his brother’s radio remarks.

In Wednesday’s documentary, both brothers were reluctant to discuss the matter, although they did elaborate on the current state of their relationship.

On Danny’s monumental radio interview, Michael said: “To say I was surprised, I was shocked, I was upset, of course I was, because number one I would have like to have known that he was going to go saying that.

“Number two, it meant that he was effectively breaking the deal, and that’s why that interview, to me, it was so hurtful.”

Danny’s comments were like “throwing a boulder into a lake and thinking that nothing was going to happen”.

For some 30 hours following the live interview, Michael “tried everything” to put right what he felt was wrong, and “it failed”.

His resignation and vote of no confidence were a surprise to Danny, who said only the night before his brother told him he would be voting for the government and “voting for himself”.

Danny said he was getting “disillusioned and upset and fed up with them [the government] in general, because they weren’t honouring their agreement”.

In the time following his resignation, Michael was “upset” and “low”, his son Jackie said.

Michael felt Danny had acted rashly with his comments and had forced his hand. “We were on a ship. Did I jump overboard? I didn’t jump over any board. I was pulled overboard,” he told Radio Kerry.

Danny’s daughter, councillor Maura Healy-Rae, said she found Michael’s comments “very disappointing” and “the way the blame was laid at his [Danny's] feet. I think he made a decision, and perhaps he regretted it, but I regret that he blamed my father for that decision.”

Johnny Healy-Rae, Danny’s other child, said a man used to say “a fight between the Healy-Raes was a kind of a friendship”.

“So I hope this will be the same,” Johnny said.

As for the current state of their relationship, both brothers remained cagey.

“We always got on fine until this,” Michael said. “Spud and meself. Sure, God, your older brother – it isn’t as though you have a 100 of them or anything like that. But when it comes to being thoughtful about what you’re doing… I’d have concerns about things like that.

“But your family is your family.”

Asked whether there is war in the camp, Danny replied, “I see no bombs or no missiles, or anything like that, and we’re fairly close to each other. But… nothing like that, no.”

On whether they have a good personal relationship outside of politics, he said, “I would say so, yes.”

Michael said he would be boxing up the matter and putting it to the back of his head. “I am not going to be dissecting this anymore.”

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