GALWAY TD Noel Grealish has put the Government under renewed pressure by calling for an immediate general election.
Mr Grealish, who has backed the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Coalition since 2007, spoke out during the summer against proposed health cuts in the western region.
The former Progressive Democrats TD has now moved to put as much distance as possible between himself and Fianna Fáil.
"I have come to the conclusion that it is time for an election and let the people decide. The amount of money this Government is pumping into Anglo Irish Bank is intolerable when we have a health system that is on its knees", he told the Connacht Tribunenewspaper.
Although Mr Grealish did not say how he intends to vote when the Dáil resumes next week, his support for the Government is no longer secure.
Two other Independents, Tipperary TD Michael Lowry and Kerry South TD Jackie Healy Rae, are expected to continue supporting the Coalition for the present but have declared they will not vote for a new Fianna Fáil nominee for taoiseach if Brian Cowen is removed from office.
The Dáil arithmetic is complicated by the fact that three seats remain vacant. Fianna Fáil currently has 70 out of the 163 seats and there are also four Fianna Fáil TDs outside the parliamentary party who consistently vote with the Government.
When the six Green Party TDs and Mary Harney are added, the Coalition can depend on the support of 81 TDs.
The three Opposition parties between them have 75 TDs, made up of 51 for Fine Gael, 20 for Labour and four for Sinn Féin.
There are six Independents, the majority of whom usually support the Government, but Mr Grealish’s announcement is the latest sign that that support is becoming more precarious.
The Government is expected to announce that the three byelections in Donegal South West, Dublin South and Waterford will be held in the spring. If the Government loses all three, as appears likely, its Dáil position could become untenable.
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern told his local paper the Dundalk Democratthat the Taoiseach should not have done his controversial radio interview last week.
“If he was to do the interview, he probably shouldn’t have been up to 3.30am. In fairness to the man, he is under huge pressure and I see it on a daily basis,” said Mr Ahern.