FF TDs vote against Government

The Government narrowly won a Dail vote against holding an immediate by-election in Donegal South-West this evening after two Fianna Fáil TDs voted with the Opposition.

Deputies Frank Fahey and Timmy Dooley “pushed the button the wrong way” in an electronic vote, according to Government chief whip John Curran. The vote was drawn at 76-76 and the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle was required by Government.

Mr Curran said he would try to meet Mr Fahey and Mr Dooley this evening. "My understanding is this was a genuine mistake but either way it's not good enough," he said.

Mr Dooley said he pressed the wrong button in error. "The two of us were located side-by-side. We were talking. We'd arrived late and we pressed the wrong button."

Earlier, the Labour Party accused the Taoiseach of running scared of the public by refusing to name a date for three separate by-elections. Eamon Gilmore said voters in Donegal South West, Dublin South and Waterford have a right to full representation and he claimed Brian Cowen was avoiding having to deal with the vacant seats.

The Taoiseach said it was up to the Dáil to agree on a date and it was not a matter for Government.

"I have rarely seen any Taoiseach, or indeed the head of any Government anywhere running so scared of the public than you are now," Mr Gilmore said.

"Set the date for the by-elections and allow the people of Donegal and South Dublin and Waterford, to have their right, a right that was fought for by people who have gone before us to have representation in the Dáil and to have their full representation here and to accept the verdict of the people."

Donegal South West has had a vacant Dail seat since Pat "the Cope" Gallagher was elected MEP last June, while Dublin South has been open since being vacated by George Lee in February and Waterford since Martin Cullen stepped down in March.

Mr Gilmore said the people in the constituencies have a right to full representation. "You're making it sound as though the right of people to be represented in Dáil Éireann is some kind of a form of political patronage that can be doled out by Fianna Fáil, and that a by-election is something that can be handed out like a national lottery grant," he said.

The Labour leader also said there was a "long overdue" referendum on children's rights due to be held.

Mr Cowen said it was up to the house to set a date. "It is a matter for the House to decide these matters. It is not a matter for Government," the Taoiseach said. "If matters are moved, they will be voted on in that way."

Additional reporting: PA