Micheál is confident of surviving motion

General election will be avoided after vote

THE Government could survive both a no-confidence motion and a backbench revolt on the contentious turf issue today.

Despite the voting intention of two expelled Green Party TDs remaining unclear last night, the Government looks set to secure at least 80 votes and avoid a general election following a motion of no confidence tabled by Sinn Féin.

While a Green Party spokesman told the Irish Daily Mail that they ‘expect and hope’ Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello will support the Government, neither TD responded to requests for comment.

‘There would be doubt over Budget’

They were suspended from the party after they voted against the Government on a motion on the National Maternity Hospital.

It comes as both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar criticised Sinn Féin’s no confidence motion, calling it a ‘cynical exercise’ and a ‘stunt’.

Mr Martin said: ‘There would be a real doubt over a Budget at the end of September if there was to be a general election in the next number of weeks. And that would be destructive.’

The Irish Daily Mail understands the Government will table a motion of confidence in itself to counteract Sinn Féin’s motion. At the time of publication, some 82 TDs were expected to vote confidence in the Government.

Former Sinn Féin TD Violet Anne Wynne is on maternity leave and has a pair – one Government TD will not vote to account for the fact that she is missing.

Independent TD Denis Naughten confirmed he would not be present and also received a pair. This drops the number of confidence votes to 80. Meanwhile, 67 TDs are expected to vote no confidence in the Government.

Another three Independent TDs, Matt Shanahan, Cathal Berry and Seán Canney, told the Irish Daily Mail they were undecided.

Independent TD Michael Lowry confirmed that he would support the Government. He said: ‘My reasons for supporting the Government are centred on Budgetary matters. The country needs a constructive Budget at this time.’

Former Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry also confirmed he will support the Government.

Joe McHugh, who defected from Fine Gael last week over the mica legislation, is also expected to support the Government.

While it was expected that turf would be discussed at this morning’s Cabinet meeting, Government sources confirmed last night that a note will not be discussed by Ministers.

This is bound to anger backbenchers who said they expected Minister Eamon Ryan to resolve the issue before the recess.