The government is planning to remove Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae as a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Agriland understands that a motion will be brought before the Dáil next Tuesday (April 21) seeking to remove the TD from the committee and replace him with Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill.

The move follows Danny Healy-Rae's decision this week to withdraw his support for government over its handling of the fuel protests.

His brother, Michael Healy-Rae also confirmed he was tendering his resignation as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) over the issue during the Dáil debate on a motion of confidence in the government.

Committee

It is understood the government's position is that Danny Healy-Rae was given a seat on the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food in recognition of his support for government.

However, Deputy Healy-Rae told Agriland that he feels he is "entitled to hold onto my seat in the committee".

"That's not the way I was understood that I was appointed. I was not appointed as a member of the coalition or of Fianna Fáil.

"I'm very hurt about that because I feel that I was doing good work there," he said.

"They want to hurt me now and take me off it, but they'll be also hurting the farmers in Kerry and the people involved in agriculture, marts and everything else," Deputy Healy-Rae added.

Motion

Each Oireachtas committee includes nine TDs, with five drawn from government, including the chair, and opposition TDs holding the remaining four.

Agriland understands that the Oireachtas Committee of Selection agreed to a proposal brought by government chief whip Mary Butler requesting to discharge Deputy Healy-Rae from the Committee on Agriculture and Food and appoint Deputy Michael Cahill in his place.

This proposal will be put before the Dáil next Tuesday. While motions to move representatives from committees are not debated, it is possible for a vote to be called.

As the government holds a majority, it would be expected that in the event a vote was called the motion would be passed.

However, Deputy Healy-Rae said: "where there's life, there's hope".

"I'll be proposed and seconded there to stay on it, and we'll see where the vote will go after that," he said.

No regrets

Deputy Healy-Rae said if he is removed from the committee he has "no regrets".

"I stood with the people, and that's because they're the people that elected me, and they're the people I'll be staying with regardless," he said.

Similar to other TDs, Danny Healy-Rae will be able to attend the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food and make a contribution following the members.

"I still can go in and voice my concerns for the people of Kerry and for the farmers of Kerry, and I'll continue to do that anyway. But it just shows how small and begrudging they are," he added.

Danny Healy-Rae also said he believes that his brother's decision to retire as a junior minister was because of "the anger and anguish and the hurt the people were feeling".

"He was doing very good work in the forestry section of the department and everyone recognised that, and he was doing a lot of other work besides," he said.