Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath could be making a return to Fianna Fáil, according to reports

There are reports this Bank Holiday weekend that moves are afoot to facilitate the return of Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath to Fianna Fáil nearly 15 years after losing the party whip, according to John Lee of the Irish Mail on Sunday.  

According to the reports, Ministers told the Mail on Sunday this weekend that they had approached Deputy McGrath in Leinster House last week asking him to consider rejoining the party.

A "rapprochement" seems increasingly possible after Deputy McGrath unexpectedly voted for Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.

Mattie McGrath has spoken out about why he voted in favour of Micheál Martin's appointment as Taoiseach. 

The news of the vote surprised many as McGrath has been a fierce critic of Martin over the past few years.

Micheál Martin was appointed Taoiseach on Thursday January 23, the day after the first sitting of the Dáil was derailed when chaos broke out between members on Wednesday.

Speaking with McGrath about his reasons for voting in Micheál Martin as Taoiseach, he said: "Fianna Fáil were the biggest party after the election so Micheál Martin was in pro position to become Taoiseach.

"I have been a fierce critic of Michael Martin in the past and I will continue to be in the arrangement I have now because I can vote on any issue in any which way I like.

"The reason I joined the Regional Independents is because I was denied action to the Independent Ireland Group. I was on my own in my old group the Rural Independents and that would be of no benefit to myself or to anyone in Tipperary.

“I believe we’ll have a far better government now that we’re rid of the greens, as far as Tipperary’s concerned anyway and rural Ireland. Ireland is better off too, as the policies were disastrous for our government.

“I had written to Micheál Martin after the election as leader of the Rural Independents at the time, and he never got back to me.

"He did ring me after that and I saw no better alternative on offer.

"We saw the bedlam that happened. Our fundamental duty after being elected as TDs is to pick a Taoiseach in government. I think it was a a far better choice than a left leaning coalition.

“I will be meeting him and he has promised me full access to all the ministers. More importantly we'll discuss the National Development plan, other Tipperary projects like the N24, Tipperary Town bypass and Ardfinnan Bridge.

“I’m also going to speak with him about our deteriorating situation in Clonmel, our capital of Tipperary. We need to tackle the issues of dereliction, crime and lack of infrastructure in the town.”

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John Lee writes: "Were McGrath to rejoin it would give Fianna Fáil 49 seats in the 34th Dáil – and the Grand Coalition would move from being a minority government to having a majority, albeit a very slim one, of a single vote.

"There are 174 seats in the 34th Dáil, but when Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy’s vote is discounted a Dáil majority is 87 – which is the number that Mattie McGrath’s return would give them.

"If the Dáil is tied on a vote, the Ceann Comhairle automatically supports the Government.

"While McGrath’s rejoining would not mean anything practical for the Coalition’s deal with the Rural Independents Technical Group (RIG) – orchestrated largely by another controversial Tipperary TD Michael Lowry – it does mean that technically the Coalition would not be relying on Independent votes to govern the Dáil.

"Mr McGrath, 66, saw one of his eight children, Máirín, enter politics in recent times and a return to the party fold would increase her chances of being elected in the constituency.

"Mr McGrath is a colourful character in Leinster House and, though combative, his achievement in being elected in every General Election since 2007 – with four as an Independent – is widely respected."

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