Irish Election are pleased to announce our collection of Irish 
Ned O’Keeffe resigned from Fianna Fail parliamentary party
Read more about: Fianna Fail, Health
Hearing from Leinster House that Ned O’Keeffe has resigned from the Parliamentary Party of Fianna Fail tonight ahead of the vote of confidence in Mary Harney. Waiting for confirmation of it but it seems almost certain. It is unclear whether he intends to vote against Mary Harney at present with some suggesting he will others suggesting he won’t. Debate is being summed up by Cowen now, watch it live here.
O’Keeffe had been a pain Bertie’s side for a while and was reported as telling Newstalk that he thinks Mary Harney should resign. Watching the deabte on the Dail website prompts me to think that more often big issues should draw so many “big-names” into the chamber to site and deabte. It is a healthy thing to see and almost worthy of a TV station.
Update 20:26: Speaking in the debate, Eamon Gilmore quoted a script which was circulated by Ned O’Keeffe, that appears to be critical of government approaches to health but Gilmore suggested he was not allowed to deliver it as a speech.
Update 21:00: Nine O Clock News reports that O’Keeffe has abstained from the vote.
Could the fact that Gilmore has that statement suggest that O’Keeffe has already agreed a new home for himself in Labour?
Wo
this the first time someone left (not pushed) a party since Dessie O’Malley?
O’keefe has been a pain to Bertie for quite a while now so perhaps FF wont be sorry to see him go. Still at least he stood over his own comments earlier in the week.
Adam no idea if he is gonna go to Labour but that would be some move if it happened! Not sure they would want to ‘handle’ him though.
O’ Keefe seems to have a few principles. Not surprising that he does not feel at home in FF
Gordon
Just out of curiosity he doesn’t become an independent now does he? with an entitlement to a leader’s allowance of his own?
Jeez Dan, I am sure your not suggesting that principle comes with a nice tasty pay-off are you?
Though from reading through todays press it seems that he will indeed be going independent and thus entitled to the same perks as all other independents. If he negotiates a deal with Bertie to continue supporting government he can have his cake and eat it too in the form of re-election promises/deliveries