Michael Healy-Rae has announced that he will accept a junior ministerial position in the forthcoming government.

His comments came on Wednesday morning following the news that a coalition deal had been established to support Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Regional Independent Group in forming the new administration.

“It’s fair to say that role will be going in my direction, but as for what that is going to be, that is obviously at the direction of the incoming taoiseach,” said the Kilgarvan man.

"It's fair to say that there is an arrangement in place where there will be a role at a department at a minister of state level for the Healy-Raes.”

Killarney by-pass

While there is no mention of any national road project on the new programme for government which was published on Thursday, Michael Healy-Rae confirmed to the Killarney Advertiser that there is another option to pursue in relation to the much needed Killarney by-pass.
The National Development Plan is set to be updated by the new government in June or July this year.
The local project will be upgraded to what will be known as the Kerry-Cork Economic Corridor and the Healy Raes are set to exert their influence on the how the NPD will be delivered.