Fianna Fáil Senator Margaret Cox could face a party disciplinary action today, after she said she was "ashamed" to back a defence of the Government's childcare policies in the Seanad last night.
The Galway Senator proposed the text of the Government's motion during a debate on childcare, only then to announce that she could not vote for it, but would abstain.
Her decision was seized upon last night by the Labour Party: "It is no wonder that even Fianna Fáil's own members find its childcare policy hard to stomach," said Senator Brendan Ryan.
Ms Cox's decision to abstain was discussed last night by Fianna Fáil's Seanad whip, Senator Pat Moylan, and the leader of the House, FF Senator Mary O'Rourke. The issue will be raised this morning with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The childcare debate was initiated by Independent Senator Shane Ross, who put down a motion sharply criticising childcare services at a "time of unprecedented wealth" in the State.
Proposing the Government's counter-motion, which lauded "the considerable progress" that has been made in recent years, Ms Cox said: "I am ashamed of this amendment but am proposing it, as that is what one does when one is a member of the Government party." Ms Cox criticised the Independent Senators for their "benign" attitude towards the Government's performance.
"I am completely frustrated by the lack of progress on this issue. I am frustrated by our apparent incapacity to come up with solutions that deal with it," she said.
Ms Cox said she would plead with Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to "bang the table" at Cabinet to get results on this issue. "Let us see some initiative in the next budget and let us see something that really deals with this issue, that looks after children, that looks after families, that looks after business and that looks after Irish society."
Speaking to The Irish Times last night, Ms Cox said she did not know if she would be disciplined for her actions. Asked why she had abstained and not voted against, she said: "I did not feel enough about it to vote against. I felt enough about it to abstain."