GOVERNMENT CHIEF whip Pat Carey is to discuss with Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish early this week his support for Wednesday’s budget.
Mr Carey told The Irish Timesyesterday that Mr Grealish had sent him a letter last week, for the attention of Taoiseach Brian Cowen, listing a number of projects that he would like addressed in his Galway West constituency.
They related mainly to roads and schools and, in the short-term, assistance for flood victims.
Mr Carey said that he had discussed the issues with the Taoiseach’s officials.
He added that there no “serious preconditions” being set by Mr Grealish.
“He outlined the fact that the PDs no long existed, and that he is now an Independent and anxious to come to some arrangement with the Government for his long-term support.”
He said that Mr Grealish would be “accommodated as best we can”, adding that he had been a loyal and strong supporter of the Government.
“Noel is a businessman as well as a politician, so he knows what the economy is like out there,” he added.
“I am hoping that he will be able to support the package of measures contained in the budget.”
Mr Grealish, who was unavailable for comment yesterday, was first elected to the Dáil in 2002 when he won a Progressive Democrats’ seat previously held by veteran TD Bobby Molloy.
He and Mary Harney were the only two PD TDs to survive the 2007 general election.
He has served as an Independent TD since the party was disbanded.
There was speculation that he would join Fianna Fáil, but this has abated since the party started performing poorly in the polls.