Fine Gael expelling TDs

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Sorry folks I could not find the Fine Gael thread.

Personally I believe Fine Gael are correct to expel those TD's who vote against the abortion bill. What are your opinions on the matter? I see Fianna Fail are also split, but in their case the majority are against their party leader. Has there been any dissent in Labour, SF, etc

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fine-gael-expels-four-tds-for-voting-against-abortion-bill-1.1450809

Fine Gael expels four TDs for voting against abortion Bill
Mathews, Timmins, Walsh and Flanagan told to vacate offices in party's section of Leinster House


Fine Gael has removed four rebel TDs from the party after they defied Taoiseach Enda Kenny to vote against the abortion legislation.

Steps were also under way last night to remove the four – Peter Mathews, Billy Timmins, Brian Walsh and Terence Flanagan – from the Oireachtas committees on which they sit. They must also vacate their offices in Fine Gael areas of Leinster House.

The TDs' rejection of the legislation marks the biggest challenge to the Taoiseach's authority since he took power in 2011. The position of several other TDs and Senators remains in doubt.

    The Attorney General, Máire Whelan, says provisions called for cannot be included in the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill AG warns over abortion provisions
    The scene outside the Dáil yesterday while the debate on the abortion Bill was being held. Photograph: Cyril Byrne 13 of Fianna Fáil's 19 TDs vote against abortion legislation
    Billy Timmins, one of four Fine Gael TDs who defied their party whip to vote against the second stage of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Number of dissenting Fine Gael TDs will inevitably increase

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Mr Kenny's spokesman had no comment on the actions of the four TDs, which came as the legislation passed its first Dáil reading by a margin of 138 to 24.

"The Government position has been outlined very clearly. The consequences of voting against the Government are clear," the Taoiseach's spokesman said.

In Fianna Fáil, 13 of the party's 19 TDs voted against the legislation even though their party leader Micheál Martin supported it. Strong resistance to the proposal within the party led Mr Martin to grant a free vote on the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill.


Chief whip's letter
In the hour after the Fine Gael rebels rejected the Bill, Government chief whip Paul Kehoe wrote to them saying they were in breach of the Fine Gael code of conduct and their pledge to vote with the party.

The Bill was then put before the health committee, which can accept amendments to the legislation, ahead of a further vote early next week. However, Mr Kenny has signalled he will not remove the suicide clause or dilute other substantive elements of the Bill.

Five other TDs who have difficulty with the Government proposal, among them Minister of State Lucinda Creighton, voted for the legislation yesterday. The other TDs with doubts are Michelle Mulherin, John O'Mahony, John Paul Phelan and James Bannon.

They are seen to be awaiting the final version of the legislation before deciding whether to definitively reject or accept it.

Mr Kehoe said in letters to the four rebels that their failure to accept the party whip meant that the rule in the Fine Gael constitution that provides for the automatic loss of the whip was being applied forthwith.


Committee replacements
The chief whip also circulated a notice of motion to TDs calling for the discharge of Mr Mathews and Mr Timmins from the finance committee and their replacement by Deputies Regina Doherty and Paschal Donohoe.

Moves to take Mr Walsh and Mr Flanagan off the transport committee are imminent, it is understood.

"I'm disappointed from the point of view that we didn't ever fight any election campaign on the basis that we would do this," said Mr Timmins. "It wasn't in the programme for government."

Any TD who loses the whip must reapply to their local branch it they wish to run again for election and the final decision lies with the Fine Gael national executive.

However, Mr Walsh said he wished to run again for the party. "I'm happy I did the right thing. It's not the most popular thing," he said.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/creighton-could-lead-up-to-10-rebels-from-fg-over-abortion-bill-29387412.html

Modern Ireland does not need their likes.





Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent – 02 July 2013
EUROPEAN Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton is poised to lead a string of Fine Gael TDs in voting against the Government's abortion bill.

It means as many as 10 Fine Gael deputies could lose the party whip, a rebellion that would put a huge dent in its parliamentary ranks.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected suggestions of major changes to the contentious legislation – which could spark the biggest Dail rebellion in living memory.

Mr Kenny has informed some TDs they will not be Fine Gael candidates in the next election if they defy the party whip.

Senior government sources admit they could lose as many as 10 TDs, but say the more likely figure is six.

The fallout could reduce the number of Fine Gael TDs from its current level of 74 to as low as 64 – although the Government would still have a comfortable majority. Four TDs have already committed to voting against the bill, while as many as six more are waiting for their concerns to be met as the legislation goes through the Oireachtas over the next fortnight.

Ms Creighton made a strident speech in the Dail that could ultimately see her split from the Fine Gael parliamentary part and lose her ministerial job.

Ms Creighton said "Fine Gael was a party which unashamedly defended the right to life and issued repeated statements to that effect over the years, including stridently in advance of the last general election".

She said she did not want to "give up" on the Government's work for economic recovery, but she was "making a decision on life and death".

"All I can do . . . is consult my conscience, which is based on my sense of what is right and what is wrong. What else can I consult?"

Internal Fine Gael exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter, with Justice Minister Alan Shatter describing some of Ms Creighton's claims as "extraordinary", while backbenchers accused the whip system of "bullying".

Some Fine Gael TDs who have difficulties with the issue of suicide as grounds for abortion acknowledged that Mr Kenny has already shut down the prospect of substantial changes to the bill. Ms Creighton asked for the suicide clause to be removed, but Mr Kenny said: "This is not possible, and would, in my view, be counterproductive."

[magpie seanie]

"Modern Ireland does not need their likes."

I personally don't agree with their stance but condescending shite like your statement above is what Modern Ireland could do with less of.

[trueblue1234]

"Modern Ireland does not need their likes."

I personally don't agree with their stance but condescending shite like your statement above is what Modern Ireland could do with less of.

+1

[Rossfan]

"Modern Ireland does not need their likes."

I personally don't agree with their stance but condescending shite like your statement above is what Modern Ireland could do with less of.

+1

+2.
The narrow mindedness of the "broad minded modern liberals" knows no depths.

[Farrandeelin]

Will they just lose the party whip or will they be expelled from all FG activities in the future?

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Will they just lose the party whip or will they be expelled from all FG activities in the future?

I think they will be expelled for the forseeable future and their seats are to be targeted by Fine Gael.

Perhaps they should go off and form their own Conservative Party.