Coalition’s majority is now ‘tight’, admits Ryan

EAMON Ryan has said the expulsion of two Green Party TDs after they voted with the opposition has left the Coalition’s majority ‘tight’.

Green TDs Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello lost the whip for voting against the Government on Wednesday. The move reduces the Coalition’s majority in the Dáil to 80 TDs against 79 opposition TDs.

The two TDs broke ranks to back a Sinn Féin motion calling for ‘full public ownership’ of the National Maternity Hospital site. The Dáil passed the motion with 56 TDs in favour, ten against and 69 Government TDs abstaining.

Green Party leader Mr Ryan, below, said yesterday that, while the Dáil vote was ‘tight’, there has not yet been a close vote and that the Coalition remained ‘well-functioning and stable’.

He said he told other Coalition leaders on Wednesday afternoon of what the party would likely do.

‘It was an internal Green party issue. We managed it ourselves,’ he said. ‘You work in coalition on the basis of trust and each party manages its own affairs.’

He said the Government is ‘stable and committed’.