Danny Healy-Rae
Danny Healy-Rae is an Irish Independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála for the Kerry constituency since the 2016 general election.
He is a son of Jackie Healy-Rae and brother of fellow constituency TD Michael Healy-Rae. He has worked in plant hire and owns a pub in Kilgarvan, businesses associated with the Healy-Rae family. Prior to entering national politics, he was a member of Kerry County Council from 2003 to 2016 for the Killarney local electoral area. He gained attention for being in favour of drinking and driving, as a way of reducing rural isolation.
He has publicly denied global warming and opposed Ireland's carbon tax. He stated in the Dáil his belief that "God above is in charge of the weather and that we here cannot do anything about it."
Healy-Rae is pro-life, and against same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption, calling it unnatural for a gay couple to adopt a child. On the latter he commented, "What was I very worried about – and still am – is that two men, or two women, could adopt a little baby girl or a little baby boy and these babies would have no say in it."
In May 2020, he called for the Leaving Certificate to go ahead with proper social distancing due to COVID-19, possibly using community centres and public libraries. Michael Healy-Rae, on the other hand, called for the 2020 exams to be cancelled.
