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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Louise Burne

Government likely to survive confidence motion as Bacik sends rallying cry to opposition

The Government looks set to narrowly survive a confidence motion following its decision to lift the eviction ban.

Several independent TDs are holding their cards close to their chests and told the Irish Mirror that they might not make their decision until Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Labour Party tabled a motion of no confidence in the Government last week. The coalition responded by tabling a confidence motion in itself, which will be debated at 9:12am on Wednesday. Confidence motions are voted upon immediately, meaning the results will be known before noon.

READ MORE: Government 'failing miserably' to hit deep retrofit targets, opposition claims

Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, Aontú and People Before Profit all intend to vote against the Government.

Like last week’s vote on the eviction ban, the fate of the coalition lies in the hands of independent TDs.

On Monday evening, the Irish Mirror calculated 80 votes in support of the Government, 60 against and 19 who have either not decided or did not respond to calls.

In a rallying call to Independent TDs on Monday evening, Labour leader Ivana Bacik called on her opposition colleagues not to vote confidence in the Government.

In correspondence, seen by the Irish Mirror, she said that “it is not too late for the Government to act”.

She said: “No one who voted for an Independent at the last General Election expected that it would have been a vote for evictions.

“We have one last chance to stop a tsunami of evictions, by convincing Ministers to change their position and to act to extend the ban.”

The Regional Independent Group will meet on Tuesday to discuss how it will vote. Sean Canney said he will decide how he will vote following this meting.

Verona Murphy, Joan Collins, Michael Fitzmaurice, Thomas Pringle and Michael Collins all confirmed to this newspaper that they would not vote confidence in the Government.

A number of independents said that they would decide when they saw the Government's counter motion and Ms Bacik’s letter.
Independent TDs Michael Healy-Rae and Michael Fitzmaurice, however, slated proposals made by Labour vowing to build one million homes over the next decade.

Mr McNamara said: “The failure of the Government to deal with pressing issues, housing being one of them but not the only one, [...] is pulling me in one way.

“The sheer blatant attempt to be noticed by the leader of the Labour Party is pulling me in the other. It is just pure nonsense.
“I don’t have confidence in the Government, but I don’t have any time for this nonsense.”

Kerry TD Mr Healy-Rae, meanwhile, wants to read the Government’s countermotion.

“I’ll have plenty to say and I’ll have plenty to say about Labour and their track record,” he told the Mirror.

“Labour are the most unique group of people in the Dail with their one million houses and rubbish like it. There should be a no confidence motion in them because who could have confidence in people who come out with raving statements about one million houses.”

Waterford TD Matt Shanahan said he will decide on Wednesday how he will vote.

A spokeswoman for Minister of State Mary Butler, who raised concerns last week about proposed changes to the Fair Deal scheme, told the Irish Mirror that the Minister will back the Government.

Neasa Hourigan, who was expelled from the Green Party for voting against the Government last week, did not respond to calls.

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