Opposition dismisses McDaid claims

Opposition parties have strongly rejected claims by the Donegal North-East TD, Dr James McDaid, who told a TodayFM interviewer today that Fine Gael and Labour were deliberately losing Dáil votes for fear of a general election.

Dr McDaid, who was expelled from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party when he abstained in a Dáil vote in November 2008, claimed that the Opposition parties, “pull out six or seven deputies to make sure that the Government doesn’t lose a vote”.

"Despite what they say, they don’t want a general election, and that is the factual situation."

Dr McDaid’s claims were rebuffed by Fine Gael whip Paul Kehoe and Labour whip Emmet Stagg.

Mr Kehoe pointed out that the Ceann Comhairle had to use his casting vote on behalf of the Government on a recent occasion.

He challenged Dr McDaid to back up his statements.  “If Jim McDaid has proof of the Fine Gael chief whip holding back deputies, I would like him to come out with it," he said.

Deputy Stagg said Dr McDaid’s claims were “absolute nonsense” and “fantasyland”.

He added: “There is absolutely no basis for suggesting that we would try and lose a vote.”