There are indications that the Coalition faces defeat in a confidence motion in the Dáil, even if the Green Party decides to remain in Government until the Finance Bill is passed.
Independent TD Joe Behan, who supported the Government over the Budget, said tonight that he will not be in a position to support the Government in such votes, saying it was necessary to ‘bring an end to the political game-playing’, pass a shortened version of the Finance Bill on Tuesday and then call an immediate General Election.
Mattie McGrath, who lost the Fianna Fáil party whip, said he would have ‘great difficulty’ in supporting the Government after the ‘hames’ it made of events in the past few days.
Two Independents who have supported the Government for the last four years, Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy Rae, said tonight that they are ‘assessing’ the situation.
If the Greens continue supporting the Government, it has 79 votes - 71 Fianna Fáil (including Eamon Scanlon, but not including Ceann Comhairle), six Greens, Jimmy Devins (a Fianna Fáil TD outside the Parliamentary Party) and Mary Harney.
The Opposition have a minimum of 79 votes (51 Fine Gael, 20 Labour, five Sinn Féin, Finian McGrath, Maureen O'Sullivan and Noel Grealish).
If there is a tie, the Ceann Comhairle would use his casting vote in the Government's favour.
Assuming there are no abstentions, the Government needs to secure the support of at least two of the wavering Independents to retain the confidence of the Dáil.
