First elected in 2016, Danny Healy-Rae is the brother of fellow Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae and the son of the late Jackie.

Prior to entering national politics, the 65-year-old was a member of Kerry County Council from 2003 to 2016 for the Killarney electoral area.

He attracted some controversy for speaking out in favour of a more lenient attitude to drinking and driving, as a way of reducing rural isolation

He is a well-known politician, who is often outspoken and boisterous in Dáil debates and discussions. Healy-Rae is known for his conservative views, and is publicly pro-life, against same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption.

He has also denied global warming and vehemently opposes Ireland’s carbon tax.

Following his election on Sunday, he faced political backlash for saying: “To hell with the planet and the fellas that say we must save the planet and forget about the people”.

He later apologised and withdrew the remarks.