No end-of-term party for political parties

GOVERNMENT TDs are to miss out on end-of-term soirées as the tight working majority in the Dáil leaves room for no slippage.

Fianna Fáil last night cancelled its planned end-of-term get-together, which had been due to take place this evening in Doheny and Nesbitt’s pub on Baggot Street, around the corner from Leinster House.

Fianna Fáil TDs and senators had been asked to pay €20 each and another €20 for each staff member for the bash.

The cancellation coincides with Sinn Féin’s tabling of a no-confidence motion just days after the Coalition lost its majority, when Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh voted against the Government.

One Fianna Fáil TD last night told the Irish Daily Mail that they believed the event was cancelled because of low

take-up and that it was ‘indicative of morale’ within the party.

An email sent around to staff yesterday offered no explanation for the cancellation of the get-together but promised that the event would be rescheduled for some time in the new Dáil term. It read: ‘Dear colleagues, Unfortunately we have to postpone our summer get-together scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. It will be rescheduled after the recess at a date and time more suitable for everyone. Apologies for the inconvenience.

‘I will be in contact with anyone who has already given a deposit. Thanks for understanding.’

Fine Gael is hosting a barbecue at its Mount Street offices tomorrow evening. The event, which one party source said was ‘mainly for staff’, coincides with the Dáil’s voting bloc.

Fine Gael TDs were warned at last week’s parliamentary party meeting that they should be in Leinster House for the votes – currently scheduled for 10.24pm – and not at the barbecue.

A spokesman for the Green Party said that it had no plans, beyond a few drinks in the Dáil bar, to mark the end of term.

‘Unfortunately, we have had to postpone’