 The Healy-Raes are clientelist, and Jackie gave confidence and supply support to Fianna-Fáil-led governments of 1997–2002 and 2007–11 in return for pork barrel funding for South Kerry.Opponents characterise them as gombeens, and news media have criticised them as populist and lacking any ideology, while supporters portray them as standing up to the metropolitan elites in Dublin.Jackie (throughout his Dáil career) and Michael (in the 31st Dáil) chose not to join the technical group to which independent TDs are entitled.