It was a puzzling case of Danny Healy-Rae and the 'little people'.

The Kerry TD is blaming poor road conditions around Killarney on fairies, according to his daughter.

Mr Healy-Rae believes that mythical creatures are at work on the main route between Killarney and Cork and that they are responsible for the appalling condition of the road.

In a theory akin to the classic film 'Darby O'Gill and the Little People', his daughter Maura Healy-Rae told a meeting of Killarney Municipal District Council that her father is "convinced" that fairies are interfering with the road at Glenflesk, on the outskirts of Killarney.

"My father is convinced there's fairies there," Ms Healy-Rae said.

"Did he see them?" Mayor of Killarney Cllr Niall Kelleher asked her.

Expand Close Independent deputy for Kerry Danny Healy-Rae. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Independent deputy for Kerry Danny Healy-Rae. Photo: Tom Burke

"I don't know, but he's convinced they're there," she replied.

The matter was raised during a discussion on a motion tabled by Mr Kelleher who asked if funding had been approved by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to address the serious lags on the N72. "The matter is going on for months and confirmation was received in the past that it would be completed," he said.

Mr Healy-Rae has made headlines with controversial comments on a number of different issues since being elected last year, including his views on climate change and drink-driving.

In August last year, he said the biblical story of Noah's Ark supports his controversial claim that climate change does not exist. "I'm basing my views on facts," Mr Healy-Rae said.

"The facts are there and history proves it.

"We had the Ice Age. We had Noah's Ark. We had all those stories. We've proof of the Famine in 1740, which was caused by two years of incessant rain."

Meal

He added: "There were some centuries when the country was very hot... and then there were different centuries with so much rain and cold. So, those are facts."

In May, Mr Healy-Rae compared eating a big meal and getting behind the wheel to drink-driving. "If you eat too much and get in behind the wheel of a car, then you're a danger on the road because you are likely to fall asleep after eating a big meal," he said.

He also said in an interview last month that he had never seen anyone whose ability to drive was affected by three glasses of beer.

The TD said he would have no problem getting on a plane with a pilot who drank that same amount.

Irish Independent