KERRY COUNTY councillor Michael Healy-Rae discounts speculation that his family's local political organisation will amalgamate with Fianna Fáil before the next general election.
His father, Kerry South Independent Jackie Healy-Rae, announced in June that he would not contest the next general election. It was perceived as a clever move to give Michael Healy-Rae a a long lead-up to consolidate his base as the heir apparent.
"I do not see the two organisations merging soon or in the long term," Michael Healy-Rae told The Irish Times.
"We have run an independent organisation since my father first won the Dáil seat in 1997, and that's the way I think it will stay."
However, local sources believe that political realities might determine otherwise in the political bear pit of Kerry South in the aftermath of next year's local elections when the parties cast an eye on general election prospects.
Kerry South, next time, will be a two-seater, given that Fianna Fáil TD John O'Donoghue will be automatically returned as Ceann Comhairle. The third TD for the constituency is Fine Gael's Tom Sheahan.
With O'Donoghue off the pitch, the current Fianna Fáil heir apparent appears to be his running mate the last time, Cllr Tom Fleming, who came close to unseating Jackie Healy-Rae.
Fleming outpolled Healy-Rae, with 6,740 first preferences compared to the Kilgarvan man's 5,993. Healy-Rae, who has a cross-party appeal, did better on transfers from outgoing Labour TD Breda Moynihan-Cronin and Sheahan, who took her seat, and managed to stay ahead of Fleming when he took the third seat on the sixth count.
Michael Healy-Rae insists that his immediate priority is getting re-elected to Kerry County Council for the Killorglin electoral area next year. His brother, Danny, will be seeking re-election in the Killarney electoral area. Both are expected to retain their seats.
Michael Healy-Rae recently completed a high-profile year as mayor of Kerry. A contributor to radio and television programmes, he has a national profile. "He has become the Mr Personality of Kerry politics," said a local source.
Comparisons are being made between Kerry South and Donegal North-East, where the Independent Blaney organisation amalgamated with Fianna Fáil in July 2006. It brought an end to a bitter 35-year rift, and Niall Blaney now represents the constituency as a Fianna Fáil TD.
The Healy-Rae rift with Fianna Fáil happened in 1997, when Jackie Healy-Rae failed to get a Dáil nomination and successfully ran as an Independent.
He cut his political teeth in grassroots politics in the 1960s, when he worked with the current Donegal North-East TD's uncle, Neil Blaney, in a series of legendary byelections.
He was a close friend of the current TD's father, Harry, who sat with him as an Independent TD in the Dáil for a time.
He enjoys a good working relationship with Taoiseach Brian Cowen as one of the Independents supporting the Government.
Labour's fortunes have declined in the Kerry South constituency, where the Moynihan dynasty once ruled, and Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael must be the front-runners to take the two seats up for grabs.
The attraction for Fianna Fáil in amalgamating with the Healy-Rae organisation lies in securing two county councillors and the outgoing Independent TD.
The Healy-Raes would see it as securing Michael Healy-Rae a Dáil nomination from his father's old party and a likely seat.
The Ceann Comhairle, who keeps a close eye on constituency developments, despite facing automatic return to the Dáil, might see it as a chance to impress the party leadership with his local behind-the-scenes machinations.
Healing a rift, which has eroded his party's strength in Kerry South, and securing the second seat, could help him stake a strong claim for ministerial office if his party returns to power after the next general election.
Local political observers also point to the deal made on Kerry County Council involving Fianna Fáil, the Healy-Rae brothers and Sinn Féin. It secured the prestigious mayoral post for Michael Healy-Rae last term and it is now held by Tom Fleming.
"The amalgamation would not be easily achieved, and nothing will happen until well after the local elections," said a source.
"But politics is the art of the possible, and nobody knows that better than Fianna Fáil and the Healy-Raes, irrespective of the tensions between them."
The Healy-Rae relationship with the Fianna Fáil political family is the source of considerable speculation, writes Michael O'Regan, Parliamentary Correspondent