Dispatch · Government
Dispatch · 17 Sep 2026

The assault on Michael Healy-Rae, and a political establishment he says closed ranks.

17 Sep 20266:301.3K views
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TL;DR
  • He opens on the facts as reported. Michael Healy-Rae, the independent TD from Kerry, was driving along Cork Street in the Dublin 8 area, close to the Coombe Hospital, when he was assaulted around four in the afternoon. According to reports he was punched a number of times and needed treatment in St. Vincent's University Hospital, and Dooley understands he has since gone home to Kilgarvan to rest. The alleged perpetrator has been arrested and charged over an attack that happened in broad daylight in Dublin City.
  • Then the reaction, which he calls breathtaking. An Garda Síochána put the Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region in front of a press conference, something he says has never happened to his mind, given the horrific attacks and crimes of recent years. When it is a member of the political establishment, he argues, they all close ranks. He takes Martin's line that "Irish democracy is unusual" because politicians can walk the streets, and points to the many times Dáil Éireann has been barricaded against peaceful protesters. Martin called it a significant moment that has to be taken seriously, and Dooley fears it could be used to clamp down on access to politicians. Simon Harris, he says, echoed it in lockstep, saying there is no place for violence or intimidation in Irish politics.
  • He says nobody can condone what took place, but that condemning it without understanding why so many feel ignored and not listened to only deepens a them-versus-us divide. Healy-Rae himself spoke of growing toxicity towards politicians. Dooley answers with accusations of his own against the Healy-Rae family: that politicians profit from the immigration industry, that Healy-Rae provides accommodation for Ukrainians, that the family has done well out of state contracts, possibly agricultural equipment contracts in Kerry, and that properties have been bought at auction through what he calls the Healy-Rae dynasty.
  • He closes on where he thinks this leads. Out of every crisis comes a solution, he says, and he expects less access to politicians as the establishment grows more detached from the lives of ordinary people. The same people talking about democracy, he argues, have ceded power and sovereignty to the European Union and pushed policies on homelessness, health wait lists and energy bills that he calls state-sponsored violence on working people. They should look at themselves first, he says, and at who they really represent: big corporations, in his view, at the expense of ordinary working people.
Transcript
00:00

Hello everyone

Hello everyone. The news cycle has been dominated over the past 24 hours with the assault on Michael Healy-Rae, the independent [clears throat] TD from Kerry. He was driving along Cork Street in the Dublin 8 area, quite close to the Coombe Hospital. Very high-profile site in part of South Inner City, Dublin. When he was assaulted around 4:00 p.m. yesterday as he was driving his car. He, according to reports, was punched a number of times and required medical.

Treatment in St. Vincent's University Hospital. He was released a number of hours later and I understand now he is back in Kilgarvan, County Kerry resting for the next few days. Now, the alleged perpetrator has been arrested and charged in relation to this incident that took place in broad daylight in Dublin City. Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of media and political commentary in this. And this really is breathtaking in terms of a response from the political.

Establishment. In the first instance, the An Garda Síochána rolled out the Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region to hold a press conference on this attack that took place yesterday afternoon. This is really unprecedented because this has never happened, to my mind, before. Especially in relation to the amount of horrific attacks that have taken place and crimes that have taken place over the past number of years.

And now, at the same time, when it's a member of the political establishment, they all close ranks around it. At the same time, Eamon Martin has come out to say that violence has no place in Irish democracy. Interestingly, he talks about democracy, isn't it? When they are the ones themselves that have absolutely no interest in democracy. As he ceded more power and sovereignty to the European Union and have no interest in getting involved with local communities in terms of.

Proper consultation to the mass immigration industry. Of course, it's always working class communities that suffer because of those policies. Remember, many of the policies and decisions by the occupiers of Leinster House have created massive state-sponsored violence through many of their policies around homelessness, around health wait lists. And many more people struggle struggle now with the worsening cost of living disaster with skyrocketing energy and fuel bills as well as I speak.

02:43

Micheal Martin added to it and said, "Irish democracy

Micheal Martin added to it and said, "Irish democracy is unusual." So much for saying democracy when it's anything but democracy. We all know it is. And at the same time, he said it's unusual because politicians can walk through the streets. Here we go. How many times have we seen Dáil Éireann being barricaded over the past number of years, shut off from peaceful protesters, from people standing up for their basic rights? Well, on many occasions. So much for.

“And at the same time, he said it's unusual because politicians can walk through the streets”

Having access to politicians. And this could be used as an opportunity to clamp down on any access to politicians because Martin has said that this is a significant moment and it has to be taken seriously. This was also echoed in lockstep by many members of the Irish government including Simon Harris who said he was very concerned with this. And he said there is no place for violence or intimidation in Irish politics and to public representatives. Interesting and they're completely.

Detached from reality. And at the same time, we've seen what's taken place, but they won't talk about the issues of being many who are feel ignored, feel not listened to in terms of what's taken place. Nobody can condone what took place, but at the same time, without understanding the issues and what's taken place in our society, well, then you're absolutely at nothing. It becomes more of a them versus us. And we know they're completely detached and away from.

Any conversation or the lives of ordinary people. Many of them are in the very privileged ivory towers and have no concept of what the struggles of ordinary people face from day-to-day. Michael Healy-Rae has also come out to make a statement and said that has been growing toxicity towards politicians and public representatives. Well, maybe perhaps when they become the biggest landlords and they all profit immensely from the immigration industry, also from many of those Ukrainians that he provides accommodation for as.

Well. And not to mention the amount of money that they're pulling in on many other state contracts. Maybe agricultural equipment contracts down in Kerry, also. Not to mention profiting from the housing disaster. Many properties have been bought on auctions through the Healy-Rae dynasty based in Kerry, as well. But these people are completely detached from the lives of ordinary people, trying to claim that they do represent ordinary people. And many fall for it.

But unfortunately, more and more people are seeing the light and waking up to what's taking place in our society, that the politicians do not represent the people and the best interests of ordinary people. And people have had enough of what's taking place in our society. But every crisis comes a solution, doesn't it? This is what it's all about. So, we'll see less access to politicians as they all close ranks and the political establishment gets more detached.

05:42

From the reality live experience of ordinary people

From the reality live experience of ordinary people. And so much for democracy. And remember, many of her policies and decisions are actually state-sponsored violence on ordinary citizens and new working people who have suffered needlessly because of these policies being enacted by the Irish, essentially criminal, political establishment. So, thanks for supporting my videos. Thanks for sharing them as well. And it's just absolutely breathtaking to see the response as the political establishment just close ranks around what's taking place.

Perhaps they should look at themselves first in terms of their approach, in terms of who they really represent. Big corporations to the detriment of ordinary working people's lives. So, thanks so much for supporting my videos.

Discussed in this video
IrishKerryMichael HealyDublinInterestingly
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Dispatch
17 Sep 2026 · Government · 6:30

The assault on Michael Healy-Rae, and a political establishment he says closed ranks.

Dooley goes through the assault on Michael Healy-Rae, the independent TD from Kerry, who was punched while driving on Cork Street in Dublin 8 and treated in St. Vincent's University Hospital. The alleged perpetrator has been arrested and charged, and Dooley says nobody can condone what happened. His target is the response. He calls a Garda press conference by an Assistant Commissioner unprecedented, given the horrific attacks on ordinary people in recent years, and says the government closed ranks when the victim was one of their own. He argues the moment could be used to cut public access to politicians, and says the people now condemning violence preside over what he calls state-sponsored violence through homelessness, health wait lists and the cost of living.

GovernmentIrishKerryMichael HealyDublin
1.3K views Discussion
TL;DR
01
He opens on the facts as reported. Michael Healy-Rae, the independent TD from Kerry, was driving along Cork Street in the Dublin 8 area, close to the Coombe Hospital, when he was assaulted around four in the afternoon. According to reports he was punched a number of times and needed treatment in St. Vincent's University Hospital, and Dooley understands he has since gone home to Kilgarvan to rest. The alleged perpetrator has been arrested and charged over an attack that happened in broad daylight in Dublin City.
02
Then the reaction, which he calls breathtaking. An Garda Síochána put the Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region in front of a press conference, something he says has never happened to his mind, given the horrific attacks and crimes of recent years. When it is a member of the political establishment, he argues, they all close ranks. He takes Martin's line that "Irish democracy is unusual" because politicians can walk the streets, and points to the many times Dáil Éireann has been barricaded against peaceful protesters. Martin called it a significant moment that has to be taken seriously, and Dooley fears it could be used to clamp down on access to politicians. Simon Harris, he says, echoed it in lockstep, saying there is no place for violence or intimidation in Irish politics.
03
He says nobody can condone what took place, but that condemning it without understanding why so many feel ignored and not listened to only deepens a them-versus-us divide. Healy-Rae himself spoke of growing toxicity towards politicians. Dooley answers with accusations of his own against the Healy-Rae family: that politicians profit from the immigration industry, that Healy-Rae provides accommodation for Ukrainians, that the family has done well out of state contracts, possibly agricultural equipment contracts in Kerry, and that properties have been bought at auction through what he calls the Healy-Rae dynasty.
04
He closes on where he thinks this leads. Out of every crisis comes a solution, he says, and he expects less access to politicians as the establishment grows more detached from the lives of ordinary people. The same people talking about democracy, he argues, have ceded power and sovereignty to the European Union and pushed policies on homelessness, health wait lists and energy bills that he calls state-sponsored violence on working people. They should look at themselves first, he says, and at who they really represent: big corporations, in his view, at the expense of ordinary working people.
Prefer to watch? The full video is on YouTube →
6:30
Transcript · auto-captions, polish pending

Hello everyone

Hello everyone. The news cycle has been dominated over the past 24 hours with the assault on Michael Healy-Rae, the independent [clears throat] TD from Kerry. He was driving along Cork Street in the Dublin 8 area, quite close to the Coombe Hospital. Very high-profile site in part of South Inner City, Dublin. When he was assaulted around 4:00 p.m. yesterday as he was driving his car. He, according to reports, was punched a number of times and required medical.

Treatment in St. Vincent's University Hospital. He was released a number of hours later and I understand now he is back in Kilgarvan, County Kerry resting for the next few days. Now, the alleged perpetrator has been arrested and charged in relation to this incident that took place in broad daylight in Dublin City. Interestingly enough, there has been a lot of media and political commentary in this. And this really is breathtaking in terms of a response from the political.

Establishment. In the first instance, the An Garda Síochána rolled out the Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region to hold a press conference on this attack that took place yesterday afternoon. This is really unprecedented because this has never happened, to my mind, before. Especially in relation to the amount of horrific attacks that have taken place and crimes that have taken place over the past number of years.

And now, at the same time, when it's a member of the political establishment, they all close ranks around it. At the same time, Eamon Martin has come out to say that violence has no place in Irish democracy. Interestingly, he talks about democracy, isn't it? When they are the ones themselves that have absolutely no interest in democracy. As he ceded more power and sovereignty to the European Union and have no interest in getting involved with local communities in terms of.

Proper consultation to the mass immigration industry. Of course, it's always working class communities that suffer because of those policies. Remember, many of the policies and decisions by the occupiers of Leinster House have created massive state-sponsored violence through many of their policies around homelessness, around health wait lists. And many more people struggle struggle now with the worsening cost of living disaster with skyrocketing energy and fuel bills as well as I speak.

Micheal Martin added to it and said, "Irish democracy

Micheal Martin added to it and said, "Irish democracy is unusual." So much for saying democracy when it's anything but democracy. We all know it is. And at the same time, he said it's unusual because politicians can walk through the streets. Here we go. How many times have we seen Dáil Éireann being barricaded over the past number of years, shut off from peaceful protesters, from people standing up for their basic rights? Well, on many occasions. So much for.

“And at the same time, he said it's unusual because politicians can walk through the streets”

Having access to politicians. And this could be used as an opportunity to clamp down on any access to politicians because Martin has said that this is a significant moment and it has to be taken seriously. This was also echoed in lockstep by many members of the Irish government including Simon Harris who said he was very concerned with this. And he said there is no place for violence or intimidation in Irish politics and to public representatives. Interesting and they're completely.

Detached from reality. And at the same time, we've seen what's taken place, but they won't talk about the issues of being many who are feel ignored, feel not listened to in terms of what's taken place. Nobody can condone what took place, but at the same time, without understanding the issues and what's taken place in our society, well, then you're absolutely at nothing. It becomes more of a them versus us. And we know they're completely detached and away from.

Any conversation or the lives of ordinary people. Many of them are in the very privileged ivory towers and have no concept of what the struggles of ordinary people face from day-to-day. Michael Healy-Rae has also come out to make a statement and said that has been growing toxicity towards politicians and public representatives. Well, maybe perhaps when they become the biggest landlords and they all profit immensely from the immigration industry, also from many of those Ukrainians that he provides accommodation for as.

Well. And not to mention the amount of money that they're pulling in on many other state contracts. Maybe agricultural equipment contracts down in Kerry, also. Not to mention profiting from the housing disaster. Many properties have been bought on auctions through the Healy-Rae dynasty based in Kerry, as well. But these people are completely detached from the lives of ordinary people, trying to claim that they do represent ordinary people. And many fall for it.

But unfortunately, more and more people are seeing the light and waking up to what's taking place in our society, that the politicians do not represent the people and the best interests of ordinary people. And people have had enough of what's taking place in our society. But every crisis comes a solution, doesn't it? This is what it's all about. So, we'll see less access to politicians as they all close ranks and the political establishment gets more detached.

From the reality live experience of ordinary people

From the reality live experience of ordinary people. And so much for democracy. And remember, many of her policies and decisions are actually state-sponsored violence on ordinary citizens and new working people who have suffered needlessly because of these policies being enacted by the Irish, essentially criminal, political establishment. So, thanks for supporting my videos. Thanks for sharing them as well. And it's just absolutely breathtaking to see the response as the political establishment just close ranks around what's taking place.

Perhaps they should look at themselves first in terms of their approach, in terms of who they really represent. Big corporations to the detriment of ordinary working people's lives. So, thanks so much for supporting my videos.

Transcript generated from the video’s captions and lightly segmented — watch the original on YouTube →