Jackie Healy-Rae

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Jackie Healy-Rae (born 1931) is an Independent Irish politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for Kerry South.

A farmer and publican, Jackie Healy-Rae was born in Kilgarvan, County Kerry and educated locally. He first became involved in politics in 1974 when he was elected to Kerry County Council as a Fianna Fáil candidate, a position he retained until 1997. Healy-Rae left the Fianna Fáil Party just before the 1997 general election when he failed to secure the party nomination to stand in the election. He was nonetheless elected to Dáil Éireann as an Independent TD.

After the election, the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats prospective government was still short of an overall majority. Healy-Rae was one of three Independent TDs who supported the government throughout its five year term. In return for this support he secured funding for projects in his constituency and chairmanship of the Environment committee.

His policy approach could be defined as conservative and populist, primarily driven by his rural background and constituency. He favours housing and commercial development in rural areas and opposes restrictions for protection of the environment, such as archeological investigation of the Hill of Tara. He was a supporter of Neil Blaney and his approach to Irish republicanism. He supports rural publicans and their customers and thus opposed the Smoking ban in Public places and stricter drink-driving regulations.

He contested the 2002 general election and although his seat looked in doubt at some stages of the campaign and he received only the fourth-highest number of first-preference votes, he was narrowly re-elected, winning the third seat.

His sons Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae are members of Kerry County Council for the Killarney and Killorglin electoral areas respectively. His daughter Rosemary is a barrister-at-law.

Healy-Rae's trademark green flat cap is ever present and his distinguishing Kerry accent, and clever use of colourful phraseology make him one of the most easily recognisable politicians in Ireland.

He is the oldest member of the 29th Dáil.